Reading comprehension is more than just decoding words on a page—it involves actively making connections and drawing conclusions based on the text. One of the components of Scarborough’s Reading Rope is Verbal Reasoning or Inferential Thinking.

Inferences are one of the most common things that ELA teachers focus on in our secondary instruction, at least I have found that to be true at the middle school level. However, one thing that completely blew me away whenever I started diving into the Science of Reading research is that there are about a thousand types of inferences — only slight hyperbole.

We have to teach each type of inference if we want our students to be able to use them!

Two critical types of reasoning, or inferences, that readers use are referred to as local inferences and global inferences. Understanding these concepts can help readers, educators, and writers improve comprehension and communication skills.

What Are Local Inferences?

Local inferences involve connecting information within a small section of the text. These inferences help readers make sense of immediate details. They link sentences and paragraphs to make sure we understand at a micro level. Local inferences are often required to:

• Clarify references — like understanding that “she” refers to a specific character mentioned in the previous sentence.
• Interpret cause-and-effect relationships within a paragraph.
• Resolve ambiguous pronouns or references in specific phrases or sentences.

Local inferences are crucial for immediate understanding and ensuring the reader can follow the flow of the text.

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What Are Global Inferences?

Global inferences, on the other hand, involve integrating information from across the entire text or combining prior knowledge with the text to form broader conclusions. These inferences help readers grasp bigger themes, main ideas, or implied messages that are not explicitly stated. Global inferences are essential for:

• Understanding the author’s purpose or tone.
• Recognizing universal themes or lessons.
• Making predictions or judgments about the text as a whole.

Global inferences require readers to think about the text as a whole and often rely on synthesizing multiple pieces of information. This is pretty much impossible to do if they haven’t grasped the smaller components of the reading rope.

How to Teach Local and Global Inferences

Teaching Local Inferences

1. Integrate a Systematic Approach to Teaching Context Clues: Use exercises where students identify meanings of words or phrases based on surrounding text. Something like this approach for teaching context clues would work. Or try this vocabulary program that utilizes a systematic approach to context clues practice and new words on a regular basis.
2. Work on Reference Resolution: Highlight pronouns or vague terms and ask students to identify their antecedents. This grammar concept is so much more worthwhile when it is completed within the context of the text that you are reading in class. I have another blog post on integrating grammar instruction within the texts that you’re reading in class.
3. Focus on Cause and Effect: Point out sentences that require linking events within a short passage or excerpt from your larger text. Simply making sure that students notice and take note of transition words can do so much good to their ability to make inferences on their own.

Teaching Global Inferences

1. Encourage Summarizing: Ask students to summarize paragraphs and entire texts to focus on main ideas. Summarizing is, by far, the easiest but most profound instructional tool that we can use as teachers and it is so simple. At the end of class, have students summarize what they learned that day in a quick exit ticket!
2. Discuss Themes and Big Ideas: After reading, facilitate discussions about the author’s reason for writing or their bigger message. This might be tough for many of your students. But taking it in small chunks and utilizing the expertise with the room can really make great strides for those below grade level students.
3. Model Synthesizing Information: Show students how to connect details from different parts of the text to form conclusions by thinking out loud.

Both global and local inferences are so important for comprehensive reading. Local inferences help readers navigate the details, while global inferences allow them to see the bigger picture. Without explicit instruction related to these concepts, our students will be lost. But by practicing these types of reasoning, we can help our students improve their comprehension and enjoy a richer, more engaging reading experience. Educators and writers, too, can leverage this understanding to craft clearer texts and more effective learning strategies.

For more information about this concept, I cannot suggest this book enough!

What strategies do you use to help your students make inferences while they are reading? Share your thoughts in the comments below!