How Does it Work?

Inference training aims to help all pupils to improve their understanding and enjoyment in reading, and also focuses particularly on the 10% of pupils in KS1-KS3 who decode adequately but fail to get full meaning and enjoyment from their reading. Inference training contains four main elements:

• Working with several pupils across each school to see which comprehension strategies pupils are using or neglecting and then building an Inference Training package suited to these identified needs.

• Professional development training and materials to help schools improve the teaching of reading comprehension and to increase pupils' enjoyment of reading.

• Best-practice comprehension teaching and learning strategies that travel across the curriculum for class teachers in KS1, KS2 and KS3.

• A group intervention of 24 lessons for those pupils in KS2 and KS3 who need extra support with strategies, which connect to ongoing teaching so pupils generalise their improved skills.

 

"The importance of evidence based practice in education is receiving increased recognition.

Inference Training has a firm grounding in both the research into reading comprehension and

the theoretical bases of comprehension. The programme provides sound and innovative ways

to support children's reading comprehension and teaches them strategies that can be applied

not only in literacy lessons, but across the curriculum"        

Jane Oakhill

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Impact on Achievement

Inference training -the group intervention- featured in Professor Greg Brook’s study What works for children and young people with literacy difficulties? The study identified Inference Training as an intervention that offers significant gains for pupils with weak comprehension skills.  Pupil impact data from 899 pupils in KS2 and KS3  shows that, during inference training sessions, most pupils made over 12 months gain in reading comprehension age over the 12 week intervention

 

“The training was outstanding. It contained a practical and overarching framework to help staff understand the challenges some students face in reading comprehension across the KS3 curriculum.

It also outlined practical classroom strategies to impact on student attainment.”

Mick O’Leary, Director of Teaching School (Associate Head Teacher) The Compton School, London

Training

Drawing on a range of current research and best practice about class and group strategies likely to improve reading comprehension and enjoyment, the training aims to improve adult awareness of the challenges some readers face across the curriculum, so that adults feel better equipped to help. 

Individual training sessions (in-person or remote) address:

• Understanding comprehension difficulties at KS1, KS2 and KS3

• Developing best practice approaches to the teaching of reading comprehension across the Key Stages to increase all pupils' understanding and enjoyment

• Delivery of the 24-session Inference Training Intervention for those pupils who need extra support

• Improving pupil confidence and attainment in Year 6 SATs through whole school collaboration

• Strategies for secondary subject teachers to work together to improve students’ metacognitive strategies across the curriculum

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As an accredited and experienced Inference Training trainer, I will work with you to design an Inference Training package suited to the needs of your school.​

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"You then set about training every teacher to be accomplished in teaching pupils the skills of reading comprehension. As a result, pupils are now practising these skills in all their lessons. These improvements in pupils’ reading skills have made a positive difference to their abilities as writers."

Ofsted, May 2016, KS3 /4 Academy, Northwich

 

Resources and Support:

• Professional development materials, developed by Tony Whatmuff and Leicester City Council

• Post-course support by email or telephone

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For further information and to book a course for your school, click here to contact Susie.