What is a key focus area for students to improve their ability to make inferences in informational texts?

Understanding the context of the material is crucial for students working to improve their ability to make inferences in informational texts. Context provides the background knowledge, situational details, and relevant information that help readers interpret the text more deeply beyond its literal meaning. When students grasp the context, they can connect ideas presented in the text with their own experiences and knowledge, leading to more accurate inferences.

While identifying the main idea, summarizing the author's points, and recognizing the tone can enhance comprehension, these skills primarily focus on the surface-level understanding of a text. Making inferences requires a deeper engagement with the text, where understanding the context allows readers to see implications, recognize relationships between ideas, and draw conclusions that are not explicitly stated. Thus, context serves as the foundation for students to elevate their interpretive skills when analyzing informational texts.