4.1 Read About
4.1B How to Infer and How to Read a Poem
Poets are creative. Because of this, understanding poetry often requires the reader to make inferences (infer). An inference is an educated guess. Good readers infer as they read and they are willing to read something more than once – often even three times.
What does it mean to infer?
Readers like you figure out what the author is saying even though it might not be written down. Using background knowledge, clues from the text, illustrations, and captions, the reader makes meaning of the selection. It helps you understand text, as authors often imply (hint/suggest) themes and ideas, without actually stating them.
You are a sleuth! So, put on your detective hat and let's get started. You may be making an inference when you say:
Can you use clues to infer the meaning of unknown words or phrases?
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Complete the "Use Clues to Infer" activity in your Learning Guide. Then, return to this online lesson. |
Poetry Reading Is A Skill
- First reading: Try to get the "gist" of the poem - a sense of what the poem is about and a sense of how it may be read.
- Second reading: This is usually a slower read, where you try to understand the poem better.
- Third+ reading: This reading may be to answer specific questions, unravel clues, and infer for deeper understanding. You can be a sleuth by going back to the details in the text to find evidence for your inferences.
- Third+ reading: This reading may be to answer specific questions, unravel clues, and infer for deeper understanding. You can be a sleuth by going back to the details in the text to find evidence for your inferences.
- Second reading: This is usually a slower read, where you try to understand the poem better.
Road Not Taken - Poem
Have you ever found yourself "between a rock and a hard place" trying to make a difficult decision? Maybe you've had to choose between two equally good choices like playing soccer with one group of friends or going to a movie with your cousins. Sometimes, decisions are "bigger" and the outcomes last longer, like choosing guitar or piano lessons, community soccer or football. We've all had to face decisions where the "best choice" was not clear. The famous poet, Robert Frost, once wrote a poem that describes this feeling exactly.
The Road Not Taken, written in 1916, is one of his most famous poems. The poet tries to hook readers by presenting a difficult choice. By presenting a dilemma, he makes us want to read more.
Listen to the poem read by the author here, if you like, as you complete the "First Read" in your Learning Guide:
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Complete the responses and activities for "The Road Not Taken" activity in your Learning Guide. |