Abstract
This paper highlights the methods used in teaching inferring skills for elementary students. The best methods that are more appropriate are also underlined as well as their effectiveness. A conclusion is also drawn based on the research.
Introduction
A student understanding of text is usually hard. However, comprehending of text largely depends on a student’s capacity to make inferences on what he/she has read. Therefore making an inference entails using what you already know to presume what you do not know. One can only make concrete inferences by reading thoroughly between the lines (Prescott.1986).
Usually inferences allow a reader to form clues from the text which is accompanied by what the reader knows regarding certain issues. This action assists readers to comprehend what is indirectly said in the text as well as make the text memorable and at the same time personal. Once a student is able to make inferences about a text, she/he gets interest in reading which consequently helps them to read more critically, gain memory of what one has read as well apply the ideas from the texts more suitably ( Prescott,1986).
Methods
A teacher should include some strategies that would help the student to comprehend the meaning of the text that is being presented to them. The teacher should however start with examples, listening which should be followed by examples of texts in order to see whether the students are heading in the right direction. The teacher should strive to the make the student synthesis what they know with what is in the text. At the end of the day a student should be in a position to use the ideas she/he have gotten from the text together with her own ideas to make reasonable conclusion on a particular issue, event or character. However, there are various methods that are involved in teaching inferences (Krark & Graves, 2005).
Graphic Organizer
In order for teacher to make proper assessment on the progress of his/her students as far as making inferences is concerned, she/he should make use of a graphic organizer which will help her record the answers given by the students. The teacher asks the students to record the facts based on the text along with the students’ knowledge concerning the ideas on the text. As the students continue to read, the teacher allows them to make alternations on their inferences. The graphical organizer strategy helps the students to learn to be critical readers as well as make good inferences from a given text ((Randi, 2009).
Story boards
It is worth noting that storyboards help the students to scrutinize the structure of the text as well as the sequence and plot of a narrative. They are graphic organizers which have some images that are usually displayed in series. The storyboards are used by most teachers as a method that helps the students to understand the text from a narrative and at the same time make inferences. Once the student is able to make out the structure of a sentence, she will be able to draw conclusion as well as understand the content that she has read (Wake, 2009).
Graphic Novels
These are visual textual principles that are used by teachers as a method of engaging students as well as a technique of teaching literally and visual skills. The teacher uses the graphic novels to bring together the students prior knowledge and the thoughts that are found in the texts. Graphic novels engage a student in critical thinking about a certain text that the student has read. The method of using graphic novels helps the student to enhance his/her capacity to read and respond appropriately to a text thereby draw suitable inferences.
Digital storytelling
This is another method that is used to help students in comprehending and making inferences from a text. Digital story telling includes audio, video animation and graphics. This method is usually engaging and interactive (Price, 2010). The method involves instructions which include paying attention, reading, speaking, viewing, writing, listening as well as representing. The method allows the students to interact with non print and printed texts. Through this method, the students are able to systematize their thoughts which eventually help the students in making proper inference regarding a given narrative text (Wake, 2009).
Prior-knowledge Activation
In this method, a teacher gives a text to the student where she requires them to read the text and relate the text with something or some ideas that they already know. By so doing the students inferring skills are developed because the moment a student relates the content of the text with some known ideas means that she/has developed or is developing some inferring skills.
Question Generation
In question generation method, the teacher allows the students to read a particular text and from what the children have read, the teacher asks the students to generate question from the read text. A student would only be able to form a question from a particular text if he/she has understood the meaning of the text (Randi, 2009).
Question- Answering
After the students have read and understood a particular text, the teacher asks questions that are related to the text for the general purpose of testing the students’ comprehending capacity. Mostly, the teacher also asks questions that are indirect but has a closer connection to the contents of the text. By asking such questions, the teacher is seeking to know whether the students have understood the contents of the text and at the same time ensures that the students are in position to draw ideas from the text that is compatible with what they know as well as their general experiences. From this the teacher is able to tell whether her/his children are gaining inferring skills or not (Pressley, 1989).
Summarization
In this method, the teacher asks the student to summarize what they have learnt from the text. Generally, summarization entails giving a brief summary of what the reading is about. If students can summarize a text correctly, then this implies that she has understood the text as well as made inferences about text in the most appropriate way. A teacher should use this method as it is appropriate for teaching students to make inferences from a reading. Summarization also enhances a student’s reading skills and at the same helps the teacher to learn the weaknesses of the students as far as their inferring skills are concerned (Krark & Graves, 2005).
Direct Explanation
Direct explanation is a suitable teaching method. The teacher allows the student to explain what they have learnt from the text while referring directly to the text. Precisely, when a student is referring directing to the text, she/he enhances her reading skills as well as her capacity of comprehending. This method also allows the student to blend the ideas of the text with what she knows thereby enriching her/her inferring skills (Pressley, 1989).
Methods and Activities
The best methods and activities for using in teaching inference skills for elementary students are, use of graphic organizers, use of story boards, use of digital story telling as well as use of digital novels. These methods are appropriate for students in elementary grade since they have visual clips as well as graphics which help in drawing the attention of the students.
The methods engage a number of activities that helps the students to concentrate as well as respond while they are required to respond. Through these methods, one will be in a position to engage the students in activities which include reading, writing, listening, presenting, viewing and speaking. In addition, these methods will allow the student’s to restate what the text says, describe what the text does as well as interpret what the text means. The above methods will be effective because they are lively and interactive (Wake, 2009).
Mostly students lose concentration when they are exposed to learning that lacks interactive activities. Such learning will make the student to lose interest in what the teacher is teaching as well as lack proper understanding. Teaching the students how to make inferences requires proper planning and coherent activities. Reading and writing activities are also crucial in teaching inferences as they help the teacher to understand whether the students are making progress (Wake, 2009).
For example as a teacher, allow the student to write a text that describes a particular thing they are aware of without necessarily stating what it is. Put the students in groups of two and let them exchange their texts and give inferences on what the group member is describing. The students should then read the inferences they have both made and make a single conclusion. This writing activity enhances the inferring skills of a student. Additionally the teacher can make student to read a small article and then ask them to surmise three thing that are not stated in the article, then allow the students to make inferences regarding the article as well as draw coherent conclusion (Price, 2010).
Conclusion
Teaching of inference skills is crucial as it forms the basis of student academic knowledge. Students learn to synthesis the ideas of a particular text with the ideas which they already know. It is worth noting that there are various methods that help the teacher to teach inferring skills to their students. In addition, successful understanding assists a student in becoming metacognitive. Inferring skills helps the students to use their own thinking in drawing reasonable conclusions in certain occurrences. It also helps students to become critical thinkers and readers.
References
Clark, KF. Graves, M. (2005). Scaffolding Students’ Comprehension of Text. Journal of reading teacher: New York: International Reading Association.VoL.58.N0.6.pp. 570-580
Prescott, S. (1986). A Technique for Teaching Students to Draw Inferences from Text. Journal of the reading teacher. New York: International Reading Association.VOL.39, No. 9pp. 908-911
Pressley, M (1989). Strategies that improves children’s memories and comprehension of text. Chicago: Chicago University Press, Vol, 90.No.15pp.3-32
Price, KL. (2010). Teaching Reading Comprehension to Children of Poverty. Journal of academic leadership.VoL.8-Issue
Randi, J., Newman, T. (2009). Teaching Children with Autism to Read for Meaning: Challenges and Possibilities. Journal of autism and developmental disorders.VOL, 40,No7
Wake, DG. (2009). teaching expository text structures: using digital storytelling techniques to make learning explicit. Journal of literacy issues during changing times. Ozarks: University of Ozarks, VoL.30
