A Descriptive Study Focusing on Teacher Questioning Use in an EFL Elementary School Class

• Main Authors: Lai, Yuwan, 賴玉婉
• Other Authors: Chi, Fengming
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/49417605778346451746

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 外國語文研究所 === 99 === This study aims to investigate the functions of teacher questioning and its relationship with the students’ responses in an English class at elementary level. In addition, students’ perceptions of the use of teacher questioning was explored. In this study, 25 fourth grade students who had diverse English proficiency levels were invited as the participants and I played a dual role as the teacher participant and the researcher. Conversation analysis method was adopted to collect and analyze the data in this descriptive study. The class was video- and audio-recorded for a semester (18 weeks). Data were collected through classroom observations and student interviews with stimulated recall. Twenty lesson periods of classroom observations were transcribed and analyzed to categorize the functions of teacher questioning, the patterns of the students’ responses and the types of teacher questioning modification strategies. In addition, student interview data were utilized to probe the students’ perceptions of the practice of teacher questioning. The results of this study include three aspects. Firstly, there were four major categories of teacher questioning functions which served as: (1) an instruction tool, (2) an evaluation tool, (3) a repair tool and (4) a classroom management technique. Excluding the repair tool, each of the other questioning functions was classified into two or three sub-categories. Therefore, nine questioning functions were categorized in total. They were inviting guesses and ideas, stimulating grammatical drill, encouraging critical thinking, assessing learning, facilitating students’ comprehension, delivering activity instruction, controlling students’ behavior and inviting small talk. Results revealed that questions for assessing students’ learning were overwhelmingly used, followed by the function performed to invite students’ guesses and ideas. In addition, teacher questions were rarely used to control students’ behavior. Secondly, two phenomena occurred in the exchanges of teacher questions and student responses: (1) when the students gave responses and (2) when they gave no responses. Two main categories of responses were found when answers were given, including solicited and unsolicited responses. The former consisted of extended responses, counter questions and challenge. The latter included student questions, off-topic initiation and offering peer-scaffolding. The data indicated that teacher questioning for inviting students’ guesses and ideas projected a significant amount of student self-initiated responses, followed by the questions serving as assessing students’ learning. When students gave no response to questions, a variety of questioning modification strategies were employed to facilitate their comprehension and solicit responses. These strategies included verbal techniques (repeating, rewording/paraphrasing, providing hints, and code-switching), paralinguistic features (slowing speech and stressing key words), and non-verbal cues (gestures/body language and using visual aids). Finally, the student interviews revealed that most had a positive attitude toward the use of teacher questioning because it was not only conducive to English learning, but also boosted their confidence in speaking and promoted friendship within their peer groups. Some pedagogical implications are also provided.