comprehending :: activating prior knowledge :: inferring :: [backward inference (elaborative inference) or forward inference (predictive inference)] ::

elaborative inference

"Although elaborative inferences are not required for textual coherence, they serve to enrich the mental representation of the text and therefore make it more memorable." (Elaborative (or extending) inferences. Retrieved from nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk) 

Working Definition

While elaborative inferences aid in, and expand comprehending, they are not required for comprehending. For example, when reading the following: "She saw smoke pouring out of the neighbor's house, and immediately dialed 911." You may infer that she called on a cell phone. This inference would be elaborative. This inference is not required to comprehend the sentence, but it does expand a reader's comprehension by providing a more detailed mental image.

Prompts

• Often times when reading we fill in many details that the author leaves out. What are some of the details of the images you have in your head that you have added or guessed that the author did not write.
• What strong emotion did a character experience? Tell more about how they felt and why they felt that way.
• mark a passage in your reading that creates a clear mental image for you. Picture that image in your head. Notice the details. Record what you pictured that the author did not describe.

© 2014, Robert Pottle