Dear Parents and Carers,
Every day, children make guesses and notice clues about what people are thinking, feeling, or about to do even in small conversations at home. You can support this natural curiosity while reading together or during daily life by encouraging them to think a little deeper about stories, situations, or events. This kind of thinking is called inference: using clues plus your own thinking to understand something that isn’t said directly.
When reading together, ask questions about why something happened or how a character might feel, using starters like: Why do you think…? How do you know…? What does this tell us about…? Encourage your child to explain their reasoning and support it with evidence from the story. You can do this in English, Arabic, or any language spoken at home, making it easier and more natural for your child to practice.
Inference can also be practiced throughout the day while sharing a meal, watching a TV show, or noticing things during a walk. By modeling how you think and talk about clues and feelings, you help your child build strong comprehension and critical thinking skills that go beyond books and into real life.
Kind regards,
Viviana Paez / EAL Primary