1. Making Inferences & Predictions: Follow-up & Planning
Say: Welcome to Making Inferences & Predictions: Follow-up & Planning for grades K-2. Let’s begin by reviewing the materials you will need for this session.
Hold items up as you talk.
Say: You have been provided a PowerPoint Handout and Additional Handouts. You should also have a blue and white Cognitive Strategy Routine card.
Kindergarten – Grade 2

2. Goals for the Session
Review the strategy Making Inferences and Predictions.
Experience a model lesson focusing on Making Inferences and Predictions.
Plan a lesson for teaching the strategy to students.
Read slide.

3. MAKING INFERENCES and PREDICTIONS?
Why Should We Teach
Read slide.
MAKING INFERENCES and PREDICTIONS?

4. Why Should We Teach Making Inferences?
When we infer, we create a personal meaning from the text which helps us to understand the text more deeply. Good “readers actively search for, or are aware of, implicit meaning.”
(Keene & Zimmermann, 1997, p. 162)
Say: When we make inferences, we use our background knowledge and clues from the text to fill in information not explicitly provided to us.
Read slide.

5. Why Should We Teach Making Predictions?
Encouraging students to make predictions has been successful in increasing interest in and memory of what has been read. This is true however, only if predictions are explicitly compared to the ideas in the text during reading. Verifying predictions may be just as important as making the actual prediction.
(Duke & Pearson, 2002)
Say: Research has found that predicting is a valuable behavior for students. Taking time to make predictions is often a good motivator for students to continue reading, as well, predicting aids with comprehension. It’s important to be thoughtful when we ask students to make predictions.
Read slide.

6. Making Inferences and Predictions?
What is
Say: We know that in order to provide effective instruction on Making Inferences and Predictions, that it’s important we all have a common understanding of what this strategy is and all that it includes.
Making Inferences and Predictions?

7. Making Inferences
An inference is “a logical conclusion based on background knowledge and clues in the text. Inferences are not explicitly confirmed in the text.” (Tovani, 2000, p. 105)
We infer when:
determining meanings of unknown words.
making predictions.
answering our questions when the answers are not in the text.
creating interpretations and synthesizing information.
Say: Let’s begin by clarifying the differences between making an inference and predicting.
Read slide.

8. Making Predictions
A prediction is “a logical guess based on the facts. It is either confirmed or disproved by the text.”
(Tovani, 2000, p. 105)
Say: A prediction is a type of inference. We use information from the text in combination with our background knowledge to make a prediction. As we teach students to make predictions, it is important for teachers to ensure that students take time to read on and confirm that their predictions were accurate. If predictions are not confirmed, then students can modify their predictions once they have gathered more information from the text.

9. MAKING INFERENCES and PREDICTIONS?
How Should We Teach
Say: Today we will review how we should teach Making Inferences and Predictions so that our instruction is effective.
MAKING INFERENCES and PREDICTIONS?

10. The Teacher Is Key
“Children’s difficulties on inference-related items often correlate to teachers’ lack of clarity about what good inference instruction looks like… if we’re not sure how to describe inference, our instruction tends to be less explicit, less frequent, and less than memorable.”
(Keene & Zimmermann, 2007, p. 148)
Say: Remember, teachers are the key to helping students understand how to make inferences and predictions.
In order for us to ensure that we are doing all that we can to help students be successful, we use clear and explicit language when teaching cognitive strategies to our students.

11. The Cognitive Strategy Routine
Say: To teach Making Inferences and Predictions to our students in a direct, explicit, and systematic manner, we use our 8-Step Cognitive Strategy Routine. We talked in the initial Making Inferences & Predictions training about the importance of this routine as a scaffold for our students. This routine keeps our instruction consistent, and ensures that it is explicit. In this session, you will have an opportunity to see a demonstration lesson for inferring following this 8-Step routine.

12. Direct Recall
To lay the foundation for teaching Making Inferences and Predictions, begin teaching young students the concept of direct recall.
Say: Before we begin teaching students how to make inferences, we begin by teaching the concept of direct recall. This is helpful because students need to understand the difference between information that is directly stated in the text, and information that requires a reader or listener to infer. This is an important first step for kindergarten and will likely still be necessary with our first graders. By second grade, we hope our students have had previous instruction on direct recall, but you may find that some students still require instruction in direct recall.
Let’s look at a brief example of a direct recall lesson.
In your Additional Handouts, you have a copy of a lesson plan for Knuffle Bunny, Handout 1. This is a familiar story about a little girl named Trixie who loses her stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. This lesson is for grade 1. Take a few minutes now to review the plan. Focus on page 2, so that you can see how Steps 5 and 6 are addressed in the lesson for direct recall.
Provide time for participants to review the plan. Ask the group to share any comments or questions they might have.
Say: Once students have a good understanding of direct recall, we can then begin to teach them how good readers make inferences. 1

13. Teaching Making Inferences
Say: Teaching young students to make inferences requires a great deal of support if we are to be successful with our instruction. Using the support poster, Handout 2, during the lesson is a visual scaffold to help students understand what an inference is. The poster helps students clearly understand what we mean when we say that some information is directly told to the reader versus when a reader must make an inference. Sentence strips are another visual scaffold that allows us to compare text to our thinking, and to sort inferential statements from direct statements. These scaffolds are used as long as they are needed.
The modeling, or think-aloud, portion is perhaps the most critical piece of our instruction on Making Inferences and Predictions because this is where we show students what it looks and sounds like to use the strategy.
In the initial training, we spent some time talking about how a think-aloud for Making Inferences might look at different grade levels and with different text types. As we model the strategy for students, we clearly state when we are inferring and when information is provided directly in the text. The Making Inferences Planner helps us to be thoughtful about the direct and implicit statements we model. This ensures we are explicit as we describe why a statement is an inference or why it is not.
Frog is very excited that spring has arrived. 2

14. Teaching Making Predictions
Predict at the “just right” spot in the text.
Reinforce that predictions must be logical.
Ask “Why do you think that?”
Don’t make assumptions about student background knowledge.
Read to verify or modify predictions.
Model making incorrect as well as correct predictions.
Say: Let’s turn our attention now to making predictions. As we provide instruction on predicting, we want to be sure to:
Read slide.
Say: Remember, we want to always be purposeful about the predictions we model and when we ask students to make predictions about text. We want to make predictions worthwhile – not just part of the routine. We ask students to make predictions when it will support students’ comprehension of the text.

15. Say: Let’s now discuss planning a lesson for Making Inferences and Predictions.

16. Considerations Prior to Planning
Focus on the TEKS.
Select a text (read and track your thinking).
Set a CPQ and determine which comprehension strategy will be the focus of the lesson.
Decide how much text you will use in your lesson.
Say: Before we begin actually planning lessons, let’s think about what we need to consider as we approach the task of writing a lesson plan.
Of course, the first thing we consider are the TEKS. It is our mandate that we teach students the essential knowledge and skills that have been outlined by the state.
Next, I select a text. I read and track my thinking to help me to know which strategies I use to help me comprehend the text. This also helps me to set a CPQ for the reading. As I reflect on my thinking I can see which strategy or strategies I tended to use most to navigate through the text. The strategy I relied on the most will likely become the focus of my lesson. The CPQ I choose might also guide me in selecting the strategy I want to teach. For example, if my CPQ requires students to make inferences in order to enhance understanding, then I will focus on the strategy of Making Inferences and Predictions during my lesson.
Once I have determined which strategy I will focus on, I then decide how much text I will use in my lesson. Will I read a paragraph, half of a text, or the whole text in one sitting? How many times do I plan to read the text with students?

17. Considerations Prior to Planning
Decide how much support students will require to successfully comprehend the text.
How familiar are students with the content?
How familiar are students with the focus strategy?
Will all students require the same kind of support?
How will you teach your lesson (whole class, small group, etc.)?
Which scaffold will you teach to support strategy use?
Which vocabulary words will be challenging? How will you support vocabulary acquisition?
Plan the lesson.
Say: Next, I need to think about my students. How much support will they need to successfully comprehend the text? How familiar are they with the content? How familiar are they with the strategy I will focus on during the lesson? This brings us to think about a lesson sequence for teaching strategies to students. Remember, for right now, we are focusing on single strategy instruction because so many students are struggling.
Keep in mind, that these are just some considerations teachers think about prior to planning. There may be many other things to consider as well.

18. Rubrics
Say: To support our planning and instruction, we have two different rubrics which are specific to introducing a focus strategy. The Planning a Lesson rubric was designed to support teachers as they plan their instruction. There is also a Teaching a Lesson rubric to help teachers think about their execution of the lesson plan during instruction. These rubrics are in your Additional Handouts. They are Handouts 3 and 4. Take a moment at your table to briefly review and discuss these rubrics.
Allow 2-3 minutes to review.
Say: You will have an opportunity to look at these rubrics more closely when I model a lesson and as you plan your own lesson for Making Inferences and Predictions.
3-4

19. Demonstration Lesson 5-6
Say: Let’s take a look at a sample lesson plan. This is the lesson that I will model for you. This is the type of lesson you will plan later in this session. It looks similar to the direct recall lesson plan we shared earlier with you.
When beginning strategy instruction, we look for texts that lend themselves well to teaching the strategy. This means that when teaching Making Inferences and Predictions, using literary text is often a good place to start. Readers tend to make inferences much more frequently when reading literary texts.
Please turn to Handouts 5 and 6 in your Additional Handouts. Handout 5 is the lesson plan and Handout 6 is the Making Inferences Planner for the text The Rooster and the Fox. Handout 6 looks slightly different than the Making Inferences Planner you are familiar with. This planner has a column that contains the full script for the lesson so that you will have a clear example to follow if you choose to teach this lesson to students. Take a couple of minutes to briefly review Handouts 5 and 6, so that you have a good understanding of the plan before I teach it.
Provide time to review.
5-6

20. Demonstration Lesson
Say: As you experience the demonstration lesson, you may wish to keep the Teaching a Lesson Rubric handy to see how my demonstration lesson aligns with the rubric. Are we ready to begin? I will be the teacher and you will be the students in my class. Please follow along with your copy of the text, it is Handout 7.
Begin demonstration lesson. 7

21. Think Turn Talk Demonstration Lesson
What two aspects of the lesson stand out most to you? Why are those aspects important?
Turn
Read slide.
Provide time for participants to discuss.
Talk

22. Your Turn
Review the texts you brought with you. Select one for planning a lesson. Ensure that it lends itself well to teaching Making Inferences and Predictions.
Use Handout 8, the blank lesson plan template to guide you as you plan your lesson. Complete the Making Inferences Planner as well.
Refer to the demonstration lesson plan and the Planning a Lesson rubric to guide your planning.
Be prepared to share your lesson with others.
Say: Now that you have seen a demonstration lesson, it is time for you to plan your own lesson. The goal is to plan a lesson following the 8-Step Cognitive Strategy Routine using the sentence-strip scaffold discussed today. Hopefully, you have brought texts to plan with, if not, we have some you may use for planning purposes. Taking this initial step in planning is very important. When you watch a demonstration lesson, it doesn’t seem that complicated, but planning and teaching good strategy instruction can be challenging. As you work through the planning process, you will internalize the steps of the routine, and your strategy instruction will be more explicit and scaffolded for students.
Remember, “The only way to improve outcomes is to improve instruction,” (McKinsey & Co., 2007, p. 26.). If this is true, then we need to ensure that we are providing students with the best possible instruction, including instruction on how to make inferences and predictions successfully.
Read slide.
Let participants know how much time they will have to work on lesson planning. Reinforce that they likely will not complete an entire plan today. Monitor the room offering support and encouragement as needed. When there is 10 minutes left in the session, draw the planning time to a close. You may with to have participants share thoughts and comments about the lesson planning. 8

23. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
8 minutes
Read Dr. De Soto.
Track your thinking by writing in the margins or on small sticky notes.
Have participants locate their copy of the book, Dr. De Soto. They may select either the English or Spanish copy. Encourage partners to work together so that they have support as they complete their individual lesson plan. Each participant should complete their own lesson plan for use in their classroom.
Read slide. Set timer for 8 minutes.
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© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

24. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
10 minutes
On a blank lesson plan, fill in the Before Reading portion of the template.
Refer to the Planning a Lesson Rubric and the sample lesson plan to help you.
Explain that participants won’t complete the top portion of the lesson plan in this setting because they don’t have access to the TEKS/ELPS. This portion, the preparation portion of the plan, can be completed after the session.
Read slide. Set timer for 10 minutes.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

25. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
10 minutes
Review the thinking you did when you first read the text.
Refer to the yellow CPQ document to help you set a CPQ for the reading.
Read slide. Set timer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, share good CPQs on chart paper with the group. Refer to the yellow document to reinforce why those CPQs are strong. Encourage pairs to revise their CPQs if they are weak.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

26. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
Time for Sharing
5 minutes
Provide time for pairs to share the Before Reading portion of their lesson plan with other pairs who have been planning for the same text.
Set timer for 5 minutes.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

27. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
20 minutes
Keep the CPQ in mind as you complete the Making Inference Graphic Organizer.
A completed organizer will help you to make decisions about what to include in the During Reading portion of the plan.
Read slide. Set timer for 20 minutes.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

28. Also, refer to the Planning a Lesson Rubric to help you.
10 minutes
Refer to your completed organizer as you plan Steps 5 and 6 of your lesson.
Also, refer to the Planning a Lesson Rubric to help you.
Read slide. Set timer for 10 minutes.
Sentence Strip Scaffold
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

29. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
Time for Sharing
10 minutes
Provide time for pairs to share the During Reading portion of their lesson plan with the pairs they previously shared.
Set timer for 10 minutes.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

30. © 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System
5 minutes
Complete the After Reading portion of the template.
Refer to the Planning a Lesson Rubric and the sample lesson plan to help you.
Read slide. Set timer for 5 minutes.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

31. Reflecting on the Planning Process
How might this lesson planning process help you with your instruction in the fall?
How does this type of planning support explicit instruction?
Read slide.
Allow time for participants to discuss. Provide time for two or three participants to share out.
The Children’s Learning Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
© 2015 Texas Education Agency / The University of Texas System

32. “Helping students understand when information is implied, or not directly stated, will improve their skill in drawing conclusions and making inferences. These skills will be needed for all sorts of school assignments, including reading, science and social studies. Inferential thinking is a complex skill that will develop over time and with experience.”
Say: I hope that some of the instructional approaches we shared today will help you with your instruction. Remember, “The only way to improve outcomes is to improve instruction,” (McKinsey & Co., 2007, p. 26.). If this is true, then we need to ensure that we are providing students with the best possible instruction which includes instruction on how to make inferences and predictions successfully.
Read slide.
Say: Thank you for your attention today and for all of your hard work. I will be happy to answer questions if you have any.

33. References
Cunningham, J., Cunningham, P. & Arthur, S. (1994). In Searfoss & Readance, Helping children learn to read, (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Duke, N.K. & Pearson, P.D., (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S.J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, Inc. Fricker, S. (2006). PIRL Planner. Sherwood Park, AB: Elk Island Public Schools. Juran, M. (2011). The Rooster and the Fox. In D. August, (Ed.), Treasures: Interactive read-aloud anthology with plays, (p. 131). New York: Macmillan McGraw-Hill. Keene, E., & Zimmermann, S. (2007). Mosaic of thought: The power of comprehension strategy instruction (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Keene, E. & Zimmermann, S. (1997). Mosaic of thought: Teaching comprehension in a reader’s workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. McKinsey & Co. (2007). How the world’s best-performing schools come out on top. Retrieved from Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Inference. Retrieved February 27, 2015, from .

34. References
Searfoss, L. & Readence, J. (1994). Helping children learn to read (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon Tovani, C. (2000). I read it, but I don’t get it. Comprehension strategies for adolescent readers. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. 23(1), Williams, M. (2004). Knuffle bunny. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.