A Constructionist approach to the use of inferences in reading comprehension

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate what inferences readers could make while engaging in reading comprehension activities. Students of 3rd year of a teacher training college with different levels of comprehension skills were asked to read two texts and answer different guided questions. Responses to questions were examined and the student´s ability to make character emotional reaction and state inferences was assessed. The results showed that on average, only 50 % of the students could make character emotional reaction inferences and that less than 50% of the students were able to make state inferences. The results highlight the difficulty on the part of the students to draw inferences in general and state inferences in particular.