I’ve been putting together some materials to help parents direct their children’ reading while schools are closed. Sure, parents can check assignments for completion and ensure students are reading each day—but can they scaffold their child’s reading? Reading teachers assess where a reader is, where she needs to go next, and how to get her there. Can we help parents do the same?
This is the beginning of a series aimed at helping parents guide their child’s reading. Each post will look at a reading skill or concept and include a free “cheat sheet” for parents. To share this with families (or to use it yourself), download the free Cheat Sheet.
In the meantime, here are some simple ways to help kids make inferences while they’re reading at home:
- Talk to Them: More specifically, talk to them about what they’re reading. When describing their book and their thoughts about it, students will inevitably make inferences, unprompted. Here’s the phrase to keep in your back pocket–How do you know? When your kiddo says, “Wilbur doesn’t realize the Zuckerman’s plan to eat him for Christmas dinner,” ask, “How do you know?” This gets them to the text evidence part without you even saying the words “text evidence.”
- Focus on Motivations: If your child is reading fiction, ask about character motivations. Authors rarely spell out a character’s motivation, but it’s important for readers to figure out what those motivations are. This is a perfect opportunity for making inferences.
- Focus on the Author’s Purpose: If your child is reading nonfiction, ask him to think about the author’s attitude and motivations. Why did the author choose this topic? When does the author have a positive attitude about the subject? When does he have a negative attitude? What does this suggest? Does the author want you to do something after reading this?
- Ask Questions: Sure, the above points include questioning, but it never hurts to ask some scripted questions. If you’re looking for some, check out the free cheat sheet mentioned above.
Looking for other materials to help students make inferences at home? I’ve recently updated these task cards to include a digital component (compatible with Google Classroom).
