Mystery Inferencing
3/30/2026 | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
This activity practices drawing conclusions based on evidence within a story.
This activity practices the skill of "reading between the lines" and strengthens reading understanding. A child is asked to combine textual clues, illustrations, and background information in a book, along with personal experience, to guess what happens next in the story. The adult and child finish the book together to find out if they were right, and talk about what led them to their conclusion.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Learning to Read is a local public television program presented by WNPT
Funding for LEARNING TO READ is provided by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation
Mystery Inferencing
3/30/2026 | 1m 4sVideo has Closed Captions
This activity practices the skill of "reading between the lines" and strengthens reading understanding. A child is asked to combine textual clues, illustrations, and background information in a book, along with personal experience, to guess what happens next in the story. The adult and child finish the book together to find out if they were right, and talk about what led them to their conclusion.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- Inferencing is when you draw a conclusion based on evidence within a story.
To practice, show your child a character and ask them where they are, what they're doing, and how they might be feeling.
- Does he look like he might be thinking about something?
- Yeah, going in someone's yard?
- [Mother] Going in someone's yard?
Yeah.
What do you think he might be feeling?
- Excited?
- Oh, excited.
What do you think he might be excited about?
- [Child] Mm, getting the vegetables?
- Getting some vegetables?
- Ask your child to guess what happens next and see if they're right.
- [Mother] What do you think he's gonna do after he gets frightened?
- [Child] Hide in there.
- [Mother] "And with a splash, hid in a watering can."
Yeah, that's right.
- Once the mystery is solved, ask what led them to their conclusion.
- [Mother] Where is he looking?
- [Child] This way?
- [Mother] Yeah, is he looking towards his mommy?
- No.
- [Mother] No, he's not.
- [Host] Practicing making inferences will enhance your child's reading understanding.
- [Announcer] Sponsored by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, helping build literary skills and encouraging parents and children to spend 20 minutes a day reading together.
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Learning to Read is a local public television program presented by WNPT
Funding for LEARNING TO READ is provided by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation