Abstract:
This research aims to reveal the extent to which inference-making
ability predicts reading comprehension skill. The research
participants consisted of 117 middle-grade students attending 5th
and 6th grades. The data was collected by Inference-Making
Ability Test and Reading Comprehension Test. The tests were
administered to the respondents in a single session and the answers
were interpreted by two evaluators. The answers provided by the
participants were imported into a statistical software after being
coded and were analyzed. The research findings showed that the
participants had poor level of inference-making ability. Whereas
reading comprehension skills of the participants was at a medium
level. While especially lexical inferencing was achieved at a
satisfying level, propositional and pragmatic inferencing could not
be attained at sufficient levels. The research results assert that
inference-making ability predicted reading comprehension skill at
a medium level. In light of this finding, it was recommended to
introduce and include inference-making strategy in reading and
literacy education so that the level of reading comprehension skill
would be enhancedges
