The inference-making of elementary emergent multilinguals: Access and opportunities for learning

Abstract

Inference-making is integral to reading comprehension, defined as information ‘retrieved or generated during reading to fill in information left implicit in a text’. However, there are few studies regarding the inferencing of young emergent multilinguals that account for multilingualism and culture, attend to the learning processes influenced by classroom instruction and interaction, and utilize qualitative methods to explore the multifaceted process of inferencing. This study explores classroom instances in which two second-grade emergent multilinguals encountered difficulties with inference-making, specifically when their first language or background knowledge was not accessed to support inference-making. Framing their difficulties as missed opportunities for learning, this study considers first language integration and multilingual pedagogies as ways to enrich learning. Findings revealed that inference-making was highly contextual, differing from text-to-text. Learners were able to infer in many instances, but difficulties arose when learners desired to articulate their inferences with specific words. Additionally, students encountered difficulties with the content language and background knowledge necessary to access an expository text. Implications of this study include supporting inference-making with students’ first language and culturally sustaining pedagogies in order to provide meaningful opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking surrounding texts.