Inferring During Reading – Teaching Slides (1st Grade & 2nd Grade)

Support your early readers as they learn to look beyond the words and use clues to understand what’s really happening in a text. These teaching slides introduce simple, student‑friendly steps perfect for Grade 1 and Grade 2 learners.

Students learn how to spot important details in words, actions, and illustrations. Each slide models how to combine these clues with what they already know to make smart, meaningful inferences. This supports early‑years comprehension expectations and strengthens critical‑thinking skills.

How to Teach Inferring to Young Students

Help students understand that inferring is like being a reading detective — using clues from the text and pictures to figure out what the author hasn’t said directly. The slides break this into clear, child‑friendly steps that show students how to think about feelings, actions, and picture clues to uncover hidden meaning. 

With guided modelling and repeated examples, young readers build confidence, curiosity, and early comprehension skills. 

Simple steps for modelling:

1. Introduce the clue — read the sentence or show the picture.
2. Think aloud — model what you notice and what you already know.
3. Make the inference — explain the “smart guess” you’re making.
4. Check the evidence — point to the words or picture clues that support the idea.
5. Let students try — use the next slide to guide them through the same steps.

Download and Explore Inferring Today

Use the dropdown menu to choose between the Google Slides version or PowerPoint version of this inferring during reading Teaching Slides set. 

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and Teach Starter collaborator.  

More Predicting and Inferring Resources for the Classroom

Are you looking for more predicting and inferring resources to use in the classroom? We have you covered…

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Inference Cut and Paste Worksheet

Use this cut-and-paste worksheet to practice inferring using images with your early reader.

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What’s Inside? Inference Activity

Use these images to help students practise making inferences from visual clues by analyzing the contents of a bin and a backpack to determine what they reveal about the owner.

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Inferencing With Pictures Digital Activity

Use this inferencing with pictures digital activity when encouraging students to use their inferencing skills.