Foundations of Language and Literacy · Junior Infants · Reading Pictures and Stories · Spring Term

Predicting and Inferring

Using clues from covers and titles to make logical guesses about story events.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Comprehension
• NCCA: Primary - Reading

About This Topic

Predicting and Wondering are higher-order thinking skills that begin in the earliest years of the NCCA Primary Language Curriculum. Under the 'Comprehension' strand, Junior Infants are encouraged to use visual clues, prior knowledge, and narrative patterns to anticipate what might happen next in a story. This isn't just about guessing; it's about making logical inferences based on evidence. It transforms reading from a passive activity into an active search for meaning.

In an Irish classroom, this might involve looking at a cover of a book about a rainy day or a GAA match and connecting it to the students' own lives. By 'wondering' aloud, teachers model the internal monologue of a skilled reader. This topic particularly benefits from hands-on, student-centered approaches where children can debate their predictions and explain their reasoning to their peers.

Key Questions

1. What do you see on the cover of this book?
2. What do you think this story might be about?
3. How can you tell what a character is feeling just by looking at the pictures?

Learning Objectives

• Identify visual clues on a book cover and title to predict story content.
• Explain how specific details in illustrations suggest a character's emotions.
• Formulate logical guesses about upcoming story events based on textual and visual evidence.
• Compare predictions made before reading with actual story events after reading.

Before You Start

Recognizing Pictures and Symbols

Why: Students need to be able to identify objects and symbols in illustrations before they can use them as clues.

Understanding Basic Story Elements

Why: Familiarity with characters, settings, and simple plots helps students make more informed predictions.

Key Vocabulary

Predict	To make a logical guess about what will happen next in a story, using clues.
Infer	To figure something out by using clues from the pictures or words, and what you already know.
Clue	A hint or piece of information that helps you understand something, like a picture or a word in a book.
Cover	The outside part of a book that often shows a picture and the title, giving hints about the story.
Title	The name of the book, which can also give clues about what the story is about.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students think a prediction is 'wrong' if it doesn't match the book.

What to Teach Instead

Emphasize that a good prediction is one that makes sense based on the clues, even if the author chooses a different path. Active discussion about 'why' a prediction was made helps shift the focus from being right to being logical.

Common Misconception

Children may make wild guesses unrelated to the story clues.

What to Teach Instead

Always ask, 'What did you see that made you think that?' This forces students to return to the text or illustration. Peer explanation is powerful here, as students often correct each other's 'wild' guesses with logic.

Active Learning Ideas

Formal Debate: The Mystery Cover

Show only the cover of a new book. Divide the class into small groups to discuss what they think the story is about. Each group must present one piece of 'evidence' from the picture to support their guess.

20 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: The Cliffhanger

Stop reading at a crucial moment in a story. Ask students to think of what the character will do next. They share with a partner and then 'vote' on the most likely outcome as a class.

15 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Prediction Posters

Place three different 'possible endings' (drawn or written) around the room. Students walk to the ending they think is most likely and explain to the others at that station why they chose it.

20 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Detectives use clues from crime scenes, like fingerprints or witness statements, to infer who committed a crime and predict their next move.
• Weather forecasters look at satellite images and past weather patterns (clues) to predict if it will rain tomorrow or be sunny for a picnic.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Show students the cover of a new book. Ask: 'What do you see on the cover? What do you think this story might be about?' Record their predictions and the clues they mention.

Discussion Prompt

After reading a page with a character showing a strong emotion, ask: 'How can you tell [character's name] is feeling sad/happy/angry? What picture clues helped you know?' Encourage students to point to specific details in the illustration.

Exit Ticket

Give each child a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one clue from a familiar story's cover and write one sentence predicting what the story is about based on that clue.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I encourage 'wondering' in children who just want to know the ending?

Model it yourself by using 'I wonder...' statements frequently. 'I wonder why the bear looks sad?' or 'I wonder what is inside that box?' This shows children that the process of questioning is just as important as the conclusion of the story.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching prediction?

Using 'Prop Bags' is very effective. Show students three items from the story before reading and have them work in groups to predict how the items will be used. This tactile approach makes the abstract concept of 'clues' much more concrete and engaging.

How can active learning help students understand comprehension?

Active learning requires students to externalize their thinking. When they have to debate a prediction or explain a 'wonder' to a peer, they are practicing the cognitive work of comprehension. It moves them from just 'hearing' the story to 'interrogating' it, which is the hallmark of a strong reader.

Does prediction work for non-fiction books?

Absolutely. You can predict what facts you might learn based on the title and photographs. This helps Junior Infants understand that non-fiction has a different purpose and structure than fiction, which is a key curriculum goal.