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Inferencing + Predicting

Inferencing and predicting skills (along with background knowledge, vocabulary, and syntax) are a key component of language comprehension. These skills facilitate the ability to understand and interpret information that isn't directly stated which deepens a student's comprehension of verbal, written, and/or social information.

Other comprehension skills:

  • Comprehension Monitoring
  • Summarizing (Main Idea + Details)
  • Text Structure
  • WH Questions

Inferencing and Predicting Goal Ideas

  • Given a picture from a picture book, NAME will make an inference and describe a clue that contributed to his inference in 4 out of 5 opportunities provided minimal verbal cues.
  • Given a photo or presented scenario, NAME will make a prediction about what might happen next in 3 out of 5 opportunities across 2 sessions.
  • Given a short story read aloud by the SLP, NAME will make a prediction about what might happen next with 70% accuracy across 2 data collection
  • Given a photo or presented scenario, NAME will answer inferential questions with 65% accuracy across 3 consecutive sessions.
  • NAME will answer inferential questions about a short story in 75% of opportunities given a familiar visual in 4 out of 5 sessions.
  • After a picture book is read aloud, NAME will use their inferencing skills to make connections to their own experiences or background knowledge at least 75% of the time, as measured by SLP data collection and classroom observation.

Read more about my goals here.

Inferencing and Predicting Resources

Here are my favorite resources that target inferencing and predicting skills:

Inferencing and Predicting Using Real Pictures

$16

Comprehending Narrative Texts

$10

Comprehending Narrative Texts Expansion Pack

$15

Searching for Home Story Unit

$25

Teaching Inferencing and Predicting Skills

It’s no secret that children with language disorders struggle with inferencing. As a little refresher, there are two main types of inferences:

Text-Based Inferences

Text-based inferences connect information you are reading/hearing with information you’ve already read/heard (information from the same book, text, movie, podcast, etc…). Learners look for clues in the story or text itself – what do you see/what did you read?

Knowledge-Based Inferences

Knowledge-based inferences combine what you already know (your background knowledge) with what you’re hearing/learning/reading. Learners look for clues in their brain – what do you know/remember? what does this remind you of?

Children with language difficulties tend to struggle more with knowledge-based inferences (Kenyon, 2018). I’d hypothesis that one reason this might be true is because text-based inferences typically require recently acquired or heard information whereas knowledge-based inferences require background knowledge, or information you maybe haven’t thought of or recalled in a while.

To break down the important skill of inferencing, I like to start with real pictures.

This allows me to directly teach the concept of inferencing, provide clear steps and visuals, and lots of structured practice opportunities.

The four steps to inferencing and predicting that I use with my learners is:

Look – In this picture, I see….

Think – This reminds me of…

Infer – I think this means…

Predict – Next, I think they will…

Other common questions I ask are “What are they thinking?”, “What are they doing?”, and “How do you know?”.

Inferencing and Predicting in Context

To level up your inference interventions, target inferencing and predicting in context using texts and picture books.

Some great prompting questions I use in my therapy sessions are shown in the image below:

Click here to check out some research that gives you the order for when these different types of inferences develop.

For students at a higher language level, I love using short narrative texts to practice making simple text-based and knowledge-based inferences.

As it seems with several language skills, making inferences using narratives texts is generally an easier task than when using non-fiction texts. Once your students are ready to move onto making inferences from more complex non-fiction texts, I’d recommend finding passages on ReadWorks like this one.

Want any easy button to target inferencing and predicting using themed and story units made just for speech therapy sessions? Check out my contextualized units linked below:

Shop Story Units Shop Themed Units
Inferencing & Predicting freebie for SLPs

Sign up for my email newsletter and get FREE inferencing + predicting materials!

This freebie includes several real pictures that are perfect for making inferences and predictions, as well as visuals and a writing worksheet.

Read more about targeting inferencing and predicting skills:

10 wordless picture books for slps

10 Best Wordless Picture Books for Speech and Language Therapy

Real World Inferencing for Deducting, Problem Solving, And Comprehension

Middle School Speech Therapy Activities: 10 Best Picks

Interactive Visuals for Guessing Games, Describing, and Inferencing

Research to Read

Meta-analysis on effective inference intervention (including in groups)
Elleman, A. M. (2017). Examining the impact of inference instruction on the literal and inferential comprehension of skilled and less skilled readers: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109 (6), 761–781.  https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000180
Knowledge-based inferences aka elaborative inferences are more difficult for children with DLD
Gough Kenyon, S. M., Palikara, O., & Lucas, R. M. (2018). Explaining reading comprehension in children with developmental language disorder: The importance of elaborative inferencing. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-17-0416
Inferencing using narratives is easier than with non-fiction.
Clinton, V., Taylor, T., Bajpayee, S. et al. Inferential comprehension differences between narrative and expository texts: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Read Write 33, 2223–2248 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-020-10044-2

Learn more about similar skills:

  • WH Questions
  • Text Structure
  • Summarizing (Main Idea + Details)
  • Comprehension Monitoring
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