Inferring and Predicting
Inferring and predicting in mathematics can be a bit tricky. It is different from a traditional story or poem because the text can be rich and flowing and evoke strong images and emotion and passion. Examining a word problem for literal clues as well as inferential clues, can be troublesome for students and requires a lot of practice. Problems that use wording like "week" or "dozen" presume that children know that a week is 7 days and a dozen is twelve. Using a KWC chart helps a child to make those inferences as they are filling in the K of What do I Know? This also allows for the C to come into play. Are there any special Conditions, rules, or tricks I have to watch out for? The C also allows the student to reflect on their notes and determine what is fact and what is inference. Not to be confused, a correct inference should be a fact; it is just not implicitly stated in the word problem. Mathematics is based on this!(11)
Predicting allows the student to make an educated guess, an estimate, as to what the answer may be while incorporating all of the other strategies to solidify what the actual answer is. Students predict when they are asked to determine what shape or number comes next in a pattern. They quantify their prediction using various strategies to help them figure out what comes next. It is important to work with your students to help them build the habit of making predictions using evidence from the story rather than pulling them out of the thin air. It takes a lot of practice for the students to examine a story for literal and inferential clues and to use those clues to make a good prediction. This applies to reading as well as word problems.
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