Chapter+9+Visualizing+and+Inferring

Visualizing and Inferring: Making What's Implicit Explicit
Pages 130-153 Picture taken from //Strategies That Work// p. 132

Good readers read between the lines to make the implicit more explicit. They use many strategies to infer, such as predicting, drawing conclusions, and connecting their background knowledge to the text. Harvey and Goudvis use a visual representation of an umbrella to explain inferring and state that it is a "merging of background knowledge with clues in the text to come up with an idea that is not explicitly stated by the author" (p. 132). Good readers spontaneously and purposefully make mental representations in their minds during and after they read. For each individual reader, the mental picture will be different and unique based on his background knowledge and text clues. Harvey and Goudvis state that visualizing personalizes reading and keeps us engaged with the text. Therefore, good readers are able to take use the mental pictures to help them infer meaning and recall events from the text they are reading much easier than readers who did not make those movies in their minds.

Inferring and visualizing go hand in hand as readers utilize them to enhance understanding. Good readers will continuously check the mental movies and inferences they are making with the text they are reading to clarify thinking and make sure things make sense.

__Professional References to Extend Your Learning__

 * Each of these articles is an example of how using the strategies of inferring and visualizing helps all levels of learners comprehend. Each article suggests ways to incorporate the strategies into the classroom and supports the ideas stated by Harvey and Goudvis about the two strategies going hand in hand to enhance understanding.
 * Gregory, A. E., & Cahill, M. A. (2010). Kindergartners can do it, too! Comprehension strategies for early readers. //The Reading Teacher, 63//(6), 515-520. @http://www.jstor.org/stable/25615842
 * Richards, J. C., & Anderson, N. A. (2003). How do you know? A strategy to help emergent readers make inferences. //The Reading Teacher, 57//(3), 290-293. @http://www.jstor.org/stable/20205358
 * Hibbing, A. N. & Rankin-Erickson, J. L. (2003). A picture is worth a thousand words: Using visual images to improve comprehension for middle school struggling readers. //The Reading Teacher, 56//(8), 758-770. @http://www.jstor.org/stable/20205292

__Technology Resources to Support Visualizing and Inferring__

 * Into the Book website for Inferring--teaching tips to help understand the strategy
 * Into the Book website for visualizing--teaching tips to help understand the strategy
 * If you have an interactive whiteboard or document camera in your classroom, these can be used to extend the different strategy lessons in chapter 9 to move beyond pen and paper. Many web-based writing spaces (e.g., Wikispaces or [|Google Docs]) can be used to extend beyond sticky notes and chart paper that can then be displayed to the entire class.
 * [|Google Draw] This is a simple web-based drawing tool that allows the user to draw just about anything! (Choose Create -- Drawing) Users can also embed pictures and write text to extend their images. Imagine how great it would be if students were to draw digital representations of what they're visualizing as they read? These images could then be shared in a digital common space and/or included in students' digital portfolios.