Thinking Matters: Inferencing in ESL Reading Lessons

This article discusses the significance of inferencing in reading comprehension and addresses theoretical and practical issues related to teaching inferencing in English classrooms. The author explains the nature of inferencing in reading and, drawing on previous research findings and his own reflections on teaching reading to English as a second language (ESL) students, proposes a framework in which inferencing is taught via an explicit instruction approach. A sample lesson is included. Although the focus is on inferencing in an ESL context, the discussion has implications for the general English learning domain.