Texts for Inference Training

Source: Primary Strategy Team

From: (title/ author) Billy’s Tower, Primary Strategy Team, Leicester LEA
Text extract:
Billy was howling because his whole day had been spoilt. All his work had been broken by the wave. His mum came over to help but she accidentally stepped on the one tower that was left. “Never mind”, she said, “let’s go back for tea. You can build some more towers tomorrow”.

Billy threw his bucket and spade down and sulked.
Pupil reading age:7 – 9 / chronological age:6-9
Teacher notes:
  1. Prior knowledge
Talk about playing with sand on the beach.
  1. a. Word definition: Pupils circle words they don’t understand and others try to explain / T. adds to explanation.
b. Word elaboration (Give each pupil a card. Take turns to elaborate on the word.)
spoilt the wave accidentally
theone tower more towers tomorrow sulked
  1. Ask a question
Examples of questions pupils might ask
About how old was Billy?
Where did this happen?
What time was it…about…when it happened?
What sort of wave is the story talking about?
What is a howl?
Did his Mum mean to do it?
What broke Billy’s other towers?
Were they going back to the beach the next day?
  1. Hidden sentence
Possible pupil responses
“I’m not going back” shouted Billy.
“I want to make another tower,” shouted Billy.
  1. Get visual
Ask pupils to record main aspects of the text using grid provided with pictures, key words, thought bubbles / doodles etc. Pupils try to show “inferential” as well as literal aspects of the text.
  1. Let’s summarise
Pupils take turns to use their grids to summarise key parts of the text.

Billy’s Tower, Primary Strategy Team,

Leicester LEA

Billy was howling because his whole day had been spoilt. All his work had been broken by the wave. His mum came over to help but she accidentally stepped on the one tower that was left. “Never mind”, she said, “let’s go back for tea. You can build some more towers tomorrow”.

Billy threw his bucket and spade down and sulked.

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