Questioning Strategy Use and Perceptions of Native and Non-native Teachers and Students’ Responses: an EFL Class at Elementary School Level

• Main Authors: SHIH-YUN Chen, 陳詩芸
• Other Authors: 何東憲
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2004
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/39568032172173255328

碩士 === 國立台北師範學院 === 兒童英語教育研究所 === 93 === This study aims to investigate questioning strategy use and perceptions of native and non-native English teachers and students’ responses in an EFL class at elementary level. Subjects were thirteen elementary-school students as well as one native and one non-native English-speaking teachers. Three-month observation of a reading class was audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed by CLAN Program. Teachers and students’ interviews were also conducted. Results indicated most similarities between two teachers were shown in the proportion of each question type. Besides, both teachers employed some questioning strategies when learners had difficulties in answering questions. More differences were displayed in the qualities of teachers’ questions such as teachers’ belief in employing some question types, different focuses on the reading course, the contexts of certain question forms and functions, teachers’ preference to use certain question types and the proportion of teachers’ questions. As for learners’ responses, learners responded in more longer and complex utterances to the native teacher’s questions than to the non-native teacher’s. The result may be explained from the types of questions the teachers used, learners’ interest in specific questions and the degree of formality in learning conditions. Most learners’ responses corresponded to the intent and meaning of questions, while learners’ partial correct answers to some question types may account for their difficulties in clarifying or providing new information. On the other hand, the native teacher and students held positive attitude toward questioning and got accustomed to teaching or learning by questioning, while the non-native preferred more demonstration in the English class. Most students only answered questions when they had confidence to respond them correctly. This may make the native teacher get frustrated from not receiving learners’ responses in class. The study also offered some implications and suggestions for EFL teaching and limitations of this study.