Ready to rock the ParaPro Reading Test? Our guide makes drawing inferences super clear, so you can excel as a teaching assistant!
What Are Drawing Inferences?
This section of our ParaPro Study Guide focuses on drawing inferences, a critical skill for the ParaPro Exam. Inferences involve concluding information not directly stated in the text by using clues from the passage. As a paraprofessional, mastering this helps you guide students in reading between the lines, enhancing their comprehension and critical thinking in classroom activities.
Developing this skill prepares you for exam questions and supports students in interpreting deeper meanings in texts.
Why Drawing Inferences Matters
About 10-15 of the 90 questions, focusing on application, test your ability to draw inferences, assessing your ability to go beyond explicit text. This skill is vital for understanding implied emotions, author intent, and unstated events, which you’ll use daily as a teaching assistant to help students analyze literature and nonfiction critically.
Types of Classroom Skills
How to Make Inferences
Drawing inferences means concluding information based on what’s implied rather than directly stated in a passage. This skill requires analyzing clues like author intent, titles, figurative language, and word choice. For example, an author’s negative stance on technology (e.g., “killing jobs”) suggests opposition to related innovations. Titles like “The True Story…” imply factual content, while “Reasons Why…” hint at persuasion. Figurative language, such as “curtains drawn” to depict depression, infers emotions without stating them. Word choices like “nervously” or “shifting eyes” imply hidden actions. Additional strategies include inferring character motivation (e.g., why a character acts a certain way, like avoiding eye contact to hide guilt) and implied themes (e.g., resilience from repeated overcoming of obstacles), which deepen text analysis and support student interpretive skills.
Example 1
Directions: Use the passage below to answer the question that follows.
The room was silent as Sarah packed her bags. Her friends avoided eye contact, and the teacher sighed heavily.
Question: What can you infer about Sarah’s situation?
- A) She is excited to leave
- B) She is leaving under difficult circumstances
- C) She is staying with her friends
- D) She is planning a surprise
Answer: B) She is leaving under difficult circumstances
Explanation: The silence, avoided eye contact, and teacher’s sigh suggest sadness or tension, implying a tough departure. Test tip: Look for emotional cues!
Example 2
Directions: Use the passage below to answer the question that follows.
The article “Save Our Forests” details deforestation rates. The author urges immediate action to plant trees.
Question: What can you infer about the author’s intent?
- A) To inform about forest growth
- B) To persuade readers to act
- C) To entertain with nature stories
- D) To criticize tree planters
Answer: B) To persuade readers to act
Explanation: The title and urge for action indicate a persuasive intent. Test tip: Analyze titles and calls to action!
Example 3
Directions: Use the passage below to answer the question that follows.
Tom lingered by the empty mailbox, his shoulders slumped. The letter he awaited never arrived.
Question: What can you infer about Tom’s feelings?
- A) He is thrilled with the mail
- B) He is disappointed or sad
- C) He is angry at the postman
- D) He is indifferent
Answer: B) He is disappointed or sad
Explanation: Slumped shoulders and an empty mailbox suggest disappointment. Test tip: Use body language clues!
Reading and Analyzing Drawing Inferences
On the exam, you’ll read passages to infer unstated information, such as emotions or author perspectives. Start by identifying clues—underline figurative language or key words (e.g., “sigh,” “however”) and consider the title’s hint. Ask, “What’s implied here?” Cross-check with the text’s tone and context to avoid misinterpretation. This mirrors classroom support, aiding students in deeper text analysis.
Easy Steps to Master Drawing Inferences
Here’s how to master drawing inferences:
- Read the passage to spot clues like tone or imagery.
- Analyze the title for context or intent.
- Look for implied meanings in word choice or actions.
- Draw a conclusion, e.g., “This suggests the author opposes this.”
- Verify with the overall passage purpose.
Test tip: Combine clues and double-check logic!
Quiz for Topic
Ready to test your skills? Try our drawing inferences quiz below to practice more!