The Effects of Teacher Explanation and Questioning Patterns on Fourth Grade Students during Basal Reader Instruction [microform] / Nancy G. Mangano

A study examined the questioning behavior of teachers following the reading of a basal reader story. The four teachers who served as subjects were chosen from a pool of 18 fourth grade teachers, and were selected because their classes produced the two highest and two lowest mean scores on a standardized reading comprehension measure. Each classroom was audiotaped three times and the tapes were analyzed for questioning behavior exhibited by the teacher and for student behavior when responding. A quantitative analysis of the results revealed that students in the high mean (HM) groups tended to ask fewer questions per session and fewer different questions than did low mean (LM) group students; however, the HM teachers asked more text-based questions than did LM teachers. Both HM and LM teachers incorporated reader-based questions into their lessons, with the HM teachers asking more reader-based questions that were related to the text and the LM teachers deviating from the text during such questioning. In addition, the LM teachers used more questions relating to management, student responses, and other language arts subjects than did HM teachers. Qualitative analysis of data showed that effective teacher questioning (1) focuses on depth rather than breadth of response, (2) is explicit, (3) reflects cohesiveness within multiple question asking as well as throughout the questioning period, and (4) clarifies misconceptions following incorrect responses. (FL)