Inferences
During lunch, Maya sits at a table with classmates. When she starts talking about her favorite video game, two students stop responding and begin scrolling on their phones. What might the classmates be feeling or thinking?
The classmates might not be interested in the video game topic
May be distracted and focused on their phones instead of the conversation.
They might be feeling bored, tired, or unsure how to respond.
A student posts a funny photo in a group chat. One friend laughs and replies with emojis. Another friend doesn’t respond and looks upset.
How might the student who posted the photo feel? How might the friend who didn’t respond feel?
Student who posted: happy, playful, or excited.
Friend who didn’t respond: left out, annoyed, or hurt.
A classmate raises their eyebrows, tilts their head, and pauses after you finish speaking. What might this body language mean?
The classmate may be confused and thinking about what you said.
The classmate may be surprised.
The classmate may be waiting for more information.
At lunch, a friend spills their drink and another friend says, “Wow, you’re so coordinated!” while rolling their eyes. Is the friend serious or sarcastic?
The friend is being sarcastic.
They likely mean the person was clumsy.
The eye roll and tone are clues to sarcasm.
A teacher asks a difficult math question, and a student shrugs and looks around the room. How might the student be feeling?
Confused.
Unsure or hesitant.
Possibly embarrassed about not knowing
Alex texts: “I guess I can come to your party…” but doesn’t reply when you ask what time they’ll arrive. What can you infer about how Alex feels about going to the party?
Alex is probably not very excited or interested in going.
A parent reminds a student to finish homework before dinner. The student sighs and rolls their eyes.
How might the parent feel? How might the student feel?
Parent: frustrated, concerned, or patient.
Student: annoyed, tired, or distracted.
A teacher presses their lips together, sighs, and looks at the clock during class. What might the teacher be communicating without words?
The teacher may feel frustrated or rushed.
The teacher may want the class to move on.
The teacher may be concerned about time.
During gym class, a student trips while running. The coach says, “Oh yeah, perfect form!” while smiling in a joking way. Is the coach genuinely praising the student?
The coach is being sarcastic.
They likely mean the student did not perform well.
The exaggeration and playful smile indicate humor.
Two friends are laughing and pointing at a funny video on a phone. One friend nudges the other playfully. How might the students be feeling?
Happy or amused.
Friendly and playful.
Excited to share something fun.
After a student talks too much in class, the teacher says, “Let’s put a lid on it.” What does “put a lid on it” mean?
It means stop or reduce talking, not using a real lid.
A teacher praises one student for a class answer. Another student who also gave a good answer looks away with a frown.
How might the student praised feel? How might the student ignored feel?
Student praised: proud, happy, or confident.
Student ignored: frustrated, sad, or overlooked.
A classmate leans forward, nods, and maintains eye contact while listening. What does this body language usually show?
Interest in the conversation.
Focus and attention.
Engagement with the speaker.
A busy student asks for help and another student says, “Oh sure, because I have nothing better to do!” while laughing and shrugging. Is this sarcasm? How can you tell?
Yes, it is sarcastic.
The person probably does want to help but is joking about being busy.
Laughter, tone, and exaggeration are clues.
A student fidgets with their pencil, avoids eye contact, and keeps looking at the door while waiting for the teacher. How might the student be feeling?
Nervous or anxious.
Impatient or worried.
Eager to leave or distracted.
Maria usually types notes on her laptop. Today, her laptop is closed, and she is writing on paper instead. Why might Maria not be using her laptop today?
The battery is dead
The laptop is broken
She forgot the charger
A student texts a friend asking for help on homework. The friend responds with “Ugh, not now” in a short message.
How might the student who asked for help feel? How might the friend who responded feel?
Student who asked: frustrated, upset, or rejected
Friend who responded: annoyed, busy, or impatient
A student taps their foot, wiggles in their seat, and looks around the room. What might this behavior indicate?
The student may feel anxious.
The student may be bored or restless.
The student may be overstimulated.
A student loses a video game match and a friend says, “Great strategy! You totally crushed it!”. Is the friend serious or sarcastic?
The friend is being sarcastic.
They likely mean the student lost badly.
Tone and context (losing the game) show sarcasm.
A student drops their books in the hallway. They freeze, look around at everyone, and then quickly bend down to pick them up. How might the student be feeling?
Embarrassed or self-conscious.
Anxious about others noticing.
Frustrated at themselves for dropping the books.
A student asks the teacher to repeat the directions twice. Why might the student do this?
They want to be sure they understand
They process information better when repeated
During a drama club rehearsal, one student forgets their lines. Another student whispers the lines to help them.
How might the student who forgot feel? How might the student whispering feel?
Student who forgot: embarrassed, nervous, or anxious.
Student whispering: helpful, kind, or maybe impatient.
One student steps backward when another student moves closer. What does stepping back often communicate?
The student may want more personal space.
The student may feel uncomfortable.
The student may feel overwhelmed.
A student submits messy work. A classmate says, “Oh, nice handwriting. So readable!” while smirking. Is the classmate praising them? What might they really mean?
They are being sarcastic.
They mean the handwriting is hard to read.
Smirk and tone indicate joking.
During a sports game, a student jumps up, cheers, and pumps their fist when their team scores. How might the student be feeling?
Excited or thrilled.
Enthusiastic about the team.
Joyful and energetic.