Levels of QuestioningLevels of Questioning

QuestioningQuestioning

Questioning the Text Questioning the Text – What it is:What it is: You develop your own literal, You develop your own literal,

inference, and universal questions about the inference, and universal questions about the text as you read. text as you read.

– Purpose:Purpose: Helps you engage more actively with Helps you engage more actively with texts, read with greater purpose and focus, and texts, read with greater purpose and focus, and ultimately answer questions and lead your own ultimately answer questions and lead your own discussions. discussions.

LEVEL 1—LITERAL QuestionsLEVEL 1—LITERAL Questions

Literal/Recall QuestionsLiteral/Recall Questions– The answer is in the text; it may be who, The answer is in the text; it may be who,

what, where, when, how, etc. Something what, where, when, how, etc. Something that you can easily go back and find IN the that you can easily go back and find IN the text.text.

Examples:Examples:

What did the first little pig build his house out of? What did the first little pig build his house out of?

Who ‘huffed and puffed’? Who ‘huffed and puffed’?

LEVEL 2—INFERENCE QuestionsLEVEL 2—INFERENCE Questions

Inference QuestionsInference Questions– Requires you to “go beyond” what is in the text. Requires you to “go beyond” what is in the text.

You have to make You have to make inferencesinferences (or ‘read between the (or ‘read between the lines’). The answers are NOT specifically stated in lines’). The answers are NOT specifically stated in the text.the text.

Examples:Examples: Why didn’t the little pigs let the wolf in when he knocked? Why didn’t the little pigs let the wolf in when he knocked?

Why would the third little pig be considered the ‘smartest’ of the Why would the third little pig be considered the ‘smartest’ of the three pigs?three pigs?

LEVEL 3—UNIVERSAL QuestionsLEVEL 3—UNIVERSAL Questions

Universal QuestionsUniversal Questions– These questions ask you to make connections These questions ask you to make connections

between the story and your own life. They go between the story and your own life. They go ‘beyond’ the text and create more room for ‘beyond’ the text and create more room for discussion. discussion.

Examples:Examples: Have you ever relied on a sibling to help you out? Have you ever relied on a sibling to help you out? Explain. Explain.

Was there ever a time that you felt threatened by Was there ever a time that you felt threatened by someone? What did you do about it?someone? What did you do about it?

QuestioningQuestioning

Writing your own questions really shows you Writing your own questions really shows you UNDERSTAND the story. UNDERSTAND the story.

Writing your own questions helps you take Writing your own questions helps you take OWNERSHIP of a discussion.OWNERSHIP of a discussion.

Really take the time to think about the Really take the time to think about the questions you write—make them questions you write—make them meaningful!meaningful!