Choose a selection of text to read aloud to the class that is short and below the independent reading level of most students in the class. Copy the text for each student to read along mentally. Think aloud about the literal meaning of the words in the text. Demonstrate for students how common experiences lead the reader to infer information not provided directly by the author. Discuss these experiences together. Draw a conclusion as a class about the message the author is conveying. Offer students a second selection of short text below their reading level. Read the text together as a class. Discuss the literal meaning of the text provided. Withhold personal thoughts about the text. Ask students first to make inferences about what the author may be trying to convey. Agree upon a conclusion about the selection of text.
Teach students to independently read a section of text with fluency but also with scrutiny while comprehending the meaning of the words. Readers should create an image in their mind based on the information provided by the author. Reread the text selection as a class. Talk as a class about what the author is telling the reader. Describe the mental image created. Reread the section of text to verify the information extracted.
Discuss familiar information or similar experiences students might have had to the text the author has written. Describe emotions involved or mental images created. Teach students to read into the text any meanings, emotions or images the author is trying to convey. Draw conclusions together about the message the author is communicating in its entirety.
Ask parents to encourage their children to read independently at home. At the close of reading time, teach parents to choose a selection of text to read together and discuss both the literal information on the page and the information inferred by the author. Assign students to teach a parent or older, supportive sibling at home how to make inferences and draw conclusions from text.