Once students have learned to answer wh-questions (what, who, where, when, and why), what is next???

Students then need to learn how to make inferences (e.g., “How do you know that?” “What would happen if…” “Why do you think that…” etc.) and predict future events (e.g., “What do you think will happen next?”)

Jean Gilliam De Gaetano has some super resources that help teach learners these concepts. While using her workbooks, it is also important to role play and generalize to the natural environment as well so that this information does not simply become rote.

Here’s our teaching order: (Graphs/program descriptions attached as well)

Combining Categories, Inferences, and Context Clues

Pre-requisite skill: Categories, Answering wh-questions

Here’s the graph: Combining Catagories Inferences and Context Clues

Activities for Mastering Inferences

Pre-requisite skill: Answering wh-questions

This program is the most basic program that introduces the topic of inferencing

(We sometimes teach Combining Categories and Mastering Inferences together)

Here’s the graph: Activities for Mastering Inferences

Developing Logical Reasoning

This program teaches predictions

Pre-requisite skill: Sequencing, Answering wh-questions

Here’s the graph: Developing Logical Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning Activities

This skill teaches students to answer complex “why” and “what would happen if…” questions

Pre-requisite skill: Answers why questions

(We sometimes teach Developing Logical Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning at the same time)

Here’s the graph: Verbal Reasoning

Introducing Inference

Pre-requisite skill: Activities for Mastering Inferences, Sequencing

Here’s the graph: Introducing Inferences

Comprehending and Verbalizing Visual Clues

Pre-Requisite skill: All of the above programs (This workbook is the most advanced out of all the books recommended here)

Here’s the graph: Comprehending Visual Clues