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The Effects of Quality Questioning On Comprehension, Critical Thinking Skills and Recall
of Fourth Grade Reading Students
by
Michelle Marie Kleimenhagen
A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Master of Science Degree
in
Education
Approved: n (2) Semester Credits
__________________________ James Lehmann Ph. D.
The Graduate School
University of Wisconsin-Stout
August, 2010
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The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI
Author: Kleimenhagen, Michelle M.
Title: The Effects of Quality Questioning On Comprehension, Critical
Thinking Skills, and Recall of Fourth Grade Reading Students
Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Education
Research Adviser: James Lehmann, Ph.D.
Month/Year: August, 2010
Number of Pages: 34
Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition
Abstract
Many students in my 4th grade reading class at Barneveld School struggle with
comprehension skills and thinking critically when reading stories. Therefore they are unable to
predict, make connections, visualize, or question a story they are reading. “Knowledge is
produced by thought, analyzed by thought, comprehended by thought, organized, evaluated,
maintained, and transformed by thought. Knowledge exists, properly speaking, only in minds
that have comprehended and justified it through thought. And when we say think we mean think
critically” (Paul, 1990, p. 2). My reading students have a hard time thinking about a story
beyond its literal text. So, their knowledge of a story is very basic and this results in lower levels
of comprehension of stories and a lack of retaining information. Students need to apply critical
thinking skills while reading in order to comprehend and retain information about a story.
Critical thinking skills can be established if the teacher asks quality questions during a reading
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lesson. The goal was to improve comprehension, critical thinking skills, and to help students
recall information from a piece of literature through my quality questions. The results of this
study indicated that the use of quality questions during a reading lesson can help students
comprehend, think critically, and recall information from the story.
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The Graduate School University of Wisconsin Stout
Menomonie, WI
Acknowledgments
Writing this thesis was the one part of graduate school that I was truly scared to death of.
I knew the day would come when I would have to sit down and put my professional thoughts and
findings on paper. My growth through this research has been phenomenal on so many levels. I
have a better understanding of current educational literature. I am also able to understand the
procedure of addressing educational concerns in my classroom. This summer has been full of
endless days and nights trying to focus when others are out enjoying the beautiful summer
events. As I near the completion of this paper, I am thankful for many people who have helped
me along the way.
I need to give a huge thank you to my husband’s grandparents for their constant
encouragement and support financially and mentally through all of my graduate schooling. His
grandmother said to me two years ago, “Just get started and before you know it you’ll be finished
before you’re thirty.” I am so thankful for her push to get started, because the end is near and I
have yet to turn thirty.
I am also very thankful of my patient, loving, encouraging husband Ryan. With out his
support throughout these two years I would not have been able to push through. His constant
reminders to meet deadlines helped to keep me organized. He also new when to respect and give
me space to really focus on my research and my writing. I love you dearly.
Last, but definitely not least, I want to thank my advising professor, Dr. James Lehmann
for all of his support, helpful criticism, and guidance while writing my thesis, all of which were
needed and greatly appreciated. He was patient, kind, and knowledgeable throughout every step.
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Table of Contents
Chapter ....................................................................................................................................... Page
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................2
Chapter I: Introduction ....................................................................................................................7
Statement of the Problem .....................................................................................................8
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................8
Assumptions of the Study ....................................................................................................9
Definition of Terms..............................................................................................................9
Limitations of the Study.......................................................................................................9
Methodology ......................................................................................................................10
Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................11
Chapter III: Methodology ..............................................................................................................20
Subject Selection and Description .....................................................................................20
Instrumentation ..................................................................................................................20
Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................................21
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................22
Limitations .........................................................................................................................22
Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................................24
Item Analysis ....................................................................................................................24
Chapter V: Discussion ...................................................................................................................29
Limitations ........................................................................................................................29
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................30
Recommendations ..............................................................................................................31
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References ......................................................................................................................................33
Appendix A: Student Questionnaire .............................................................................................34
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Chapter I: Introduction
The quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our thinking. The quality of our
thinking is determined by the quality of our questions, for questions are the engine, the driving
force behind our thinking. Without questions, we have nothing to think about (Elders & Paul,
2005). When people really want to learn, they ask questions. People have been questioning for
over 2,500 years. Socrates, the Greek philosopher /teacher, was one of the greatest educators
who taught by asking questions. He believed that disciplined practice of thoughtful questioning
enables the student to examine ideas logically and to determine the validity of those ideas.
Higher level thinking skills are present when students think, discuss, debate, evaluate content
through their own thinking and help from their peers who are thinking around them.
The key to powerful thinking is powerful questioning. When we ask the right questions,
we succeed as a thinker, for questions are the force that powers our thinking. Thinking, at any
point in time, can go off in thousands of different directions, some of which, by the way, are
dead-ends. Questions define the agenda of our thinking. They determine what information we
seek and lead us in one direction rather than another. Questions are, therefore, a crucial part of
our thinking (Elders & Paul, 1996).
Teachers have never been under so much pressure to perform, cover curriculum, ensure
high scores on standardized tests, and meet standards. These pressures make teachers cruise
through content for the sake of getting it covered. At the heart of teaching, is asking quality
questions to encourage critical thinking in our students. Teachers must encourage slowing down
the thinking process to allow elaboration upon their thinking. This will give students the time to
develop ideas. Teachers must start to wonder what their students are thinking and saying, what
they mean, ask what is true or makes sense. Teachers must translate the student’s curiosity into
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probing questions to promote high level thinking. Teachers need to convey a sincere interest and
respect for student thought.
Statement of the Problem
A problem exists in that students are not able to comprehend or think critically during a
reading lesson. The ultimate goal when reading is comprehension and understanding. In the
upper elementary grades, reading shifts from learning to read, to reading to learn. When students
reach fourth grade, a reduced amount of time is spent on comprehension strategies and critical
thinking strategies because students are expected to understand what they have just read. As a
result, many students have a difficult time with reading comprehension. They are unable to
recall information from the stories due to their lack of comprehension. Children are not thinking
critically when reading these stories, which play a large part in their lower comprehension of
stories. Children’s abilities to master these skills are highly important for future learning. As
reading teachers are pressed for time, they tend to rush through material with closed ended
questions for the sake of getting material covered. So there is a need to gather and present
information about quality questioning techniques in a reading classroom. Therefore, the purpose
of this study is to see what the impact of quality questioning on reading comprehension, critical
thinking skills, and recall will be.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine whether quality questioning will increase reading
comprehension, critical thinking skill, and recalling information about the literature. I have
found that my reading students have a difficult time using critical thinking skills, making
connections and recalling information from the text. I wanted to add quality questions to my
reading lessons to help my students develop the skills needed to comprehend, make connections,
and recall information. The use of quality questions will also help my students communicate
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with each other and think beyond the text. By participating in our reading lessons using quality
questions, my students will build listening, speaking and critical thinking skills. My goal is that
students will use these skills learned from quality questioning lessons, while reading text
independently, during guided reading instruction, and during our read-alouds.
Assumptions of the Study
The assumptions for this study are that all students will accurately respond to the survey
questions. Another assumption is that all students will fill out the survey completely to allow for
an accurate evaluation and comparison of data. These assumptions were held true through this
investigation.
Definition of Terms
Comprehension: Comprehension is the act of gaining understanding and meaning from
reading.
Curriculum: Curriculum includes grade level specific material that is taught for each
subject area, including math, science, social studies, and literacy.
Literacy: Literacy is the instruction in the areas of reading, writing and spelling.
Classroom teacher: A classroom teacher is the teacher who is responsible for teaching the
curriculum for a single grade level. Classroom teachers are responsible for teaching more than
one subject area.
Fluency: Fluency is the act of reading smoothly and without mistakes.
Prior Knowledge: Prior knowledge refers to everything the learner knows or has
experienced regarding a topic.
Limitations of the Study
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The limitations of this research are that the survey was created by this paper’s author and
may not have asked all the relevant questions needed to determine any additional needs to help
students with reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and recall during a reading lesson.
Since the survey was created by the author, the reliability and validity should be questioned
when reviewing the findings in this study. Another limitation is that some students may be
hesitant to respond accurately and completely when filling out the survey. Since the survey is
limited to one reading classroom, the population will be relatively small. Therefore, the data
should not be extrapolated to other populations. Another limitation is that the author is the
teacher in the reading classroom being surveyed and also administering the survey.
Methodology
The remainder of this paper follows a logical path towards the importance of
implementing quality questions into reading classrooms. In chapter two, the reader is introduced
to and in-depth review of current literature on the subjects of reading, critical thinkers, and
quality questioning. In chapter three, the methodology will address specifics of the study, how
the data was collected and analyzed. Chapter four will address the results of the study. In
chapter five, the results are discussed, recommendations are made, and the paper is concluded.
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Chapter II: Literature Review
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to examine whether quality questioning will increase reading
comprehension, critical thinking skill, and recalling information about the literature during
reading class. There is clear evidence to support the implementation of quality questions into
everyday teaching. The first section of this chapter will identify the components of reading.
Section Two will examine what a critical thinker does. Section Three will identify what a
quality questioning strategy consists of. Section Four will convey the benefits of including
quality questioning in a classroom. Section Five will discuss how teachers can formulate quality
questions. The chapter will conclude with a summary of the professional literature.
What is reading? Reading encompasses both decoding and the making of meaning. The first entry on the
word read in the Webster’s New World Dictionary (1991 p.) defined reading as “getting the
meaning of something written by using the eyes to interpret its characters.” “Reading demands a
two-pronged attack. Reading involves cracking the alphabetic code to determine the words and
thinking about those words to construct meaning” (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000, p.5). When we
read, we are actively thinking because thoughts fill our mind. We might make connections to
our own life, and we might have questions about the text. “It is not enough to merely think these
thoughts. Strategic readers address their thinking in an inner conversation that helps them make
sense of what they read. They search for answers to their questions. They attempt to better
understand the text through their connections to the characters, the events, and the issues”
(Harvey & Goudvis, 2000, p.5).
Readers take the written word and construct meaning based on their own thoughts,
knowledge, and experiences. When readers interact with the texts they read, it can shape and can
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even change the readers thinking. Interaction is important for readers to think when they read, to
develop an awareness of their thinking, and to use strategies that help them comprehend what
they are reading. These are the primary goals when comprehending a text (Harvey & Goudvis,
2000). One thinking strategy would be making connections while reading, to their own lives.
When they connect and interact with the print, they are uncovering insights about themselves and
the world.
What is a critical thinker?
Teachers work hard to provide their students with the best literacy experiences; however
critical thinking is often neglected in a reading classroom. Just what is a critical thinker?
According to Paul (1990), a critical thinker is someone who is able to think well and fair-
mindedly about their own beliefs and viewpoints as well as those which are diametrically
opposed. The critical thinker does not just think about these beliefs and viewpoints, but explores
and appreciates their adequacy, cohesion, and reasonableness. A critical thinker’s attitudes and
passions are included as well. When a person begins transitioning into a critical thinker, they are
not the same person they once were. They have better abilities and transition into a different
person. Paul also believed a critical thinker can pursue an issue in depth, by using their thoughts
or discussing the issue. They come to their own understanding of details they learn, placing
them into the larger framework of the subject and their overall perspective of the subject being
discussed (Paul, 1990).
Teachers expect students to be able to critically think. This skill, however, has to be
developed, and it requires a great deal of effort from the teacher to help students learn to think
critically. In order for students to develop these skills, teachers must learn to incorporate quality
“questioning into their classes; the responsibility for developing the critical thinking skills shifts
from the student to the teacher as questioning becomes the guiding force” (Junaid & Thoms,
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1997, p. 1). The power to make students’ think, and shape their minds, needs to come from the
teacher, not the textbook (Chalupa & Sormunen, 1995).
Paul said “critical readers of literature approach literature as an opportunity to live within
another's world or experience, to consider someone else's view of human nature, relationships,
and problems.” A critical reader can collaborate with others, and discover different ways of
thinking about a topic. This allows them to understand a topic better as well as examine and
compare other students’ information and beliefs with their own. They also realize they must
constantly reconstruct the author's meaning. Thus, constructing meaning means bringing
forward the appropriate prior knowledge and using the necessary processing strategies. For
example, when reading a harder piece of literature, a critical reader constructs meaning of the
text before, during, and after learning. They question ideas that are unclear, write down ideas in
the margin, or on post-it note (Billmeyer, 2004). A critical reader reads literature because there
is so much to learn that they have not learned yet, and so much to experience that they have yet
to experience. Critical reading is more than simply moving one’s eyes across a page of written
symbols. They question, organize, interpret, predict, and digest what they read. They ask
questions while reading. “They organize the details, not only around key ideas in the work, but
also around their own key ideas. They not only interpret, they recognize their interpretations as
interpretations, and consider alternative interpretations. Recognizing their interpretations as
such, they revise and refine them” (Paul, 1990, p. 21). A critical reader can also make
predictions before reading, during reading, and after reading the piece of literature. They are
alert to clues during reading that help them confirm predictions, alter ideas, and make sense of
the text. “They do not simply accept or reject; they work to make ideas their own, accepting
what makes most sense, rejecting what is ill-thought-out, distorted, and false, fitting their new
understanding into their existing frameworks of thought” (Paul, 1990, p. 21).
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Quality Questioning: A Strategy That Propels Readers Forward Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talents, I am only passionately curious”
(Calaprice, 1996). Teachers have to strive to create classrooms that celebrate passionate
curiosity (Harvey & Goudis, 2000). Consider the possibility that everything we know today
about our world emerged because people were curious. They formulated a question or series of
questions about something that sparked their interest or deeply concerned them, which lead them
to learn something new (Brown, Isaacs, & Vogt, 2003). This curiosity spawns questions which
are the master key to human understanding. By asking these questions it can help clarify
confusion, stimulate research efforts, propel us forward and take us into deeper reading.
Our students need to know that their questions matter in the classroom and in the
everyday world. They need to see teachers asking questions as well as answering them. This
model will demonstrate the relationship between quality questioning and thinking and learning.
By asking questions when reading, it engages the reader and keeps the reader reading. A reader
with no questions might as well abandon the book, because they are not thinking deeply or trying
to comprehend the text (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). “No questions (asked) equals no
understanding (achieved)…if your mind is not actively generating questions, you are not
engaged in substantive learning” (Elder & Paul, 2005, p. 3). When our students ask questions
and search for answers, we know that they are monitoring comprehension and interacting with
the text to construct meaning…(Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). Ideally, these questions could lead to
movement or action on key issues; by generating creative insights, they can ignite the power to
create change in thought, ideas, and understanding (Brown, et al. 2003).
Harvey and Goudvis (2000) believed questions are at the heart of teaching and learning.
Since human beings are driven to make sense of their world, questions can open the door to their
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understanding. They believe teachers should celebrate kids’ questions and help facilitate
answers. This strategy can propel readers forward, to help make meaning of their world.
What are the purposes of teachers’ classroom questions?
Teachers who believe questions are tools for actively engaging students in learning
dedicate time and effort to preparing the questions. They pose purposeful questions that help
students make meaning of new concepts and ideas, thus demonstrating the relationship between
quality questions and thinking and learning (Sattes & Walsh, 2005). Forming good questions
takes thought, work, skill, and practice. When teachers take the time to formulate good
questions, the questions match the instructional objective. These purposeful questions help
students make meaning of new concepts and ideas. Purposeful questions also open up learning
and allow students to connect to prior knowledge. Children have the capacity for these
connections; teachers just have to pose purposeful questions. “Questioning is the strategy that
keeps readers engaged. When readers ask questions, they clarify understanding and forge ahead
to make meaning. Asking questions is at the heart of thoughtful reading” (Harvey & Goudvis,
2000, p. 11). They also believe that proficient readers ask questions before, during, and after
reading. They question the content, the author, the events, the issues, and the ideas in the text.
Readers ask questions to (a) construct meaning, (b) enhance understanding, (c) find answers (d)
solve problems, (e) find specific information, (f) acquire a body of information, (g) discover new
information, (h) propel research efforts, (i) clarify confusion (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000, p. 22).
Questions have been used for a wide variety of purposes: reviewing previously read or
studied material; diagnosing student abilities, preferences, and attitudes; stimulating critical
thinking; managing student behavior; probing student thought process; stirring creative thinking;
personalizing the curriculum; motivating students; and assessing student knowledge (Sadker,
2009). Sattes and Walsh (2005) believed there are two typical classroom contexts for
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questioning which are recitation and discussion. The more familiar of the two, recitation,
involves the teacher in every interchange. “Recitation describes the familiar form, which is
characterized by recurring sequences of teacher question plus students answer, where students
“recite” what they already know or are coming to know through the questioning” (Dillon, 1984,
p. 50). The teacher poses a question and, after student response, confirms the rightness or
wrongness of the answer. Recitations usually find the teacher speaking in questions: they may
pose up to 50 questions during a one-hour class. Students speak in short, factual answers-and
look to the teacher for evaluation of their correctness. Questions posed in recitation are usually
low-level questions, asking students to remember or recall facts, provide definitions or
demonstrate comprehension. Rarely do questions engage students in thinking deeply about an
issue (Sattes & Walsh, 2005). According the Sattes and Walsh (2005), recitation questions
might be posed for the following purposes; to review before a test, to see if students have read
and understood a passage, to check on completion and/or comprehension of homework, to asses
what students know about a topic-either before, during, or after instruction, to cue students on
important content, to get students to talk (especially in cooperative groups), to provide
opportunities for drill and practice, and finally to model good questioning for students.
Discussion on the other hand, might be less familiar (Sattes & Walsh, 2005).
Researchers have found true classroom discussions occur infrequently in elementary and
secondary school classrooms-about four to eight percent of the time (Dillon, 1984). In a true
classroom, a teacher might pose a single, open-ended question and ask other questions only for
clarification. Students do not wait for the teacher’s permission to speak and they don’t look to
the teacher for assessment of responses; they engage in dialogue with one another, listen
respectfully, and make their own evaluations (Sattes & Walsh, 2005). The discussion covers
various activities in which the teacher and the students discuss what they don’t know.
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Discussion calls for complex thinking processes and attitude change. The discussion involves
longer exchanges, exchanges among students as well as between teacher and students, and
questions soliciting students’ opinions and thoughts, not just right answers (Dillon, 1984). The
teacher’s questions open the door to dialogue and discovery amongst students in the classroom
(Brown, et al, 2003).
A discussion cannot take place when students are afraid to speak freely; teachers think
student opinions are not worth listening to; participants feel it is improper to express a personal
opinion; people constantly interrupt opinions they dislike; or people are not amenable to the
influence of reason, evidence, or argument. Openness is necessary for a discussion to be proper
or effective (Dillon, 1984). According to Sattes and Walsh (2005), questions that promote
discussion might be posed for the following purposes: to afford students practice in thinking out
loud, encourage students to hear and respect diverse points of view, and help students work out
their own understanding of a topic. These discussions would also improve listening skills,
provide an opportunity for students to speculate, formulate hypotheses, and offer evidence to
support their ideas, by allow students time and opportunity to reflect upon and verbalize
information to long-term memory. One key component of a questions based discussion is the
opportunity for students to transfer learning to different contexts or situations.
The purpose for asking the question ultimately depends on the teacher’s purpose in
asking a question at that time. When teachers are clear about the purposes of questions, they can
better assess student responses (Sattes & Walsh, 2005).
How to formulate quality questions
Any teacher who is concerned about the development of the student’s mind must be
concerned with how to ask good questions in order to develop our student’s critical thinking
skills. “Kids don’t grow up knowing that good readers ask questions” (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000,
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p. 81). When teachers ask good questions, they are modeling a thinking strategy for students.
They are modeling how to ask good questions for thinking in-depth for themselves and how to
ask questions to other students. When “[asking] good questions, teachers are required to have in-
depth knowledge; additionally, they have to preview the text and then generate questions that
will take students to more complex thinking. When asking questions, teachers are thinking
actively and helping students become active thinkers” (Sattes & Walsh, 2005, p. 23). Quality
questions can help students think about what they are reading and then do something with it.
Sattes and Walsh (2005) gave advice on how to formulate quality questions. Once a
teacher has decided on a question’s instructional purpose, specific content, and cognitive level,
teachers are ready to formulate questions. They want teachers to write out their questions so
they can see the flaws and fix them. Both wording and syntax are critical to the ultimate quality
of the question. When [teachers] pose a question, we assume [students] understand it as we
mean it. But we need to consider our questions from the students’ perspective. First, does
students know what the question means? Second, can they translate it into their own language?
Finally, will students have a common understanding of the kind of response the question is
seeking?
Teachers need to choose their words with care. First, each word should have a clear
meaning. Second, when the questions are presented orally, each question should include the
minimum number of words necessary to convey meaning. Finally, the words should be
appropriate to our students’ age, grade level, achievement level, cultural background and so forth
(Sattes & Walsh, 2005). Teachers need to write out their questions, because when the question
appears in print, flaws are easier to see. They should read the question two or three times to see
if the meaning is clear. When teachers ask students a question, they assume students understand
the question for what it means. But teachers need to consider the question from the students’
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perspective: Do students know what the question means? Will students understand the type of
response the question is seeking? If the question is clear, specific and precise, teachers will
know their students will comprehend the question.
Summary
The review of literature indicates that the use of quality questioning may be beneficial to
help increase reading comprehension, critical thinking skill, and recalling information about the
literature during reading class. Reading shapes and changes our thinking. As students read, they
need to be critical thinkers who question, organize, interpret, synthesize, and digest what they
read. When students question what they are reading, and search for questions in their text, we
know they are monitoring comprehension.
Quality questioning can be a powerful instrument to help students comprehend, use
critical thinking skills and recall information. If the questions are properly designed, a teacher
can better gauge the intellectual growth and development of the student. The purpose of this
study is to examine whether quality questioning will increase reading comprehension, critical
thinking skill, and recalling information about the literature during reading class.
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Chapter III: Methodology
The research design for this study is action research and a survey methodology will be
used to gather the data required to address the research questions. More specifically, the design
will find out whether a quality questioning approach helps students comprehend, use critical
thinking skills, and recall information from a reading story at the fourth grade level.
Subject Selection and Description
The subjects for this study will be 8 fourth grade students ranging in the age from nine to
ten years old. The subjects were both males and females who are enrolled in a fourth grade
reading class. The sample consisted of five males and five females. The subjects were all
Caucasian (100%). The study was conducted at Barneveld School, the only public school in the
Barneveld School District. The district has an enrollment of 470 students, serving students from
pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school is located in a very small community,
consisting of 1,256 people, in south-western Wisconsin. The community is located twenty-five
miles from Madison, Wisconsin. The population consists of primarily Caucasian (96%). Other
ethnic groups include Mexican (3%) and Latin American (1%). The students in this study
belong to parents who are mainly employed in professional and blue-collar occupations. The
study was conducted in the author’s reading classroom with the author’s students.
Instrumentation
The researcher used an interview approach featuring a series of open-ended questions
(Appendix A) that were designed to gather information about the students' thoughts and levels of
engagement during the different lessons. The students were asked if any of the questions helped
with their understanding of the story and why. The classroom teacher gathered this information
by asking the students questions to solicit their thoughts and levels of engagement during the
reading lessons (Appendix A). The survey consisted of nine open-ended questions. These
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specific questions were asked to determine which quality questions during the lesson helped
them the most, the least, or not at all. For example, question number six asked the student, if
they found the pre-reading questions to be helpful with their understanding of the reading story?
Why or why not? This question allowed the researcher to determine whether the pre-reading
questions helped the student understand and comprehend the reading story after the story was
read.
Data Collection Procedures
The survey was administered to students during the week of July 12th through July 16th,
during the 2010 summer school session. While in the researcher’s classroom, the questions were
read to the students and they recorded their answers on different pieces of paper that were
already numbered 1 through 9 for them. The students were given two minutes to answer each
question. Students were sitting in desks that were in vertical rows facing the front of the room.
The researcher told the students they were unable to talk with other students throughout the
entire survey. The researcher told the students the question would be read to them one time and
if they needed to read it again, they would have to read it on their paper. The data was collected
on eight students' comprehension on a reading story using observation and survey approach.
Through observation, the researcher assessed students' comprehension of a story on the very first
day by taking anecdotal notes but only used the information gathered from eight students. The
very next day the researcher used a different story and asked pre-reading questions prior to
reading the story. Through anecdotal notes, the researcher maintained a record of the same eight
students' contributions during the discussion to measure their comprehension. The third day the
research asked quality questions mid way through the story. The research again maintained an
anecdotal record of the same eight students' contributions to the discussion to measure their
comprehension. The fourth day the researcher debriefed all students, using quality questions, at
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the end of the story, while recording contributions from the same eight students to check for
comprehension. On that same day, the survey was administered to minimize the loss of the
questioning techniques throughout all of the stories. With the aid of the power point slides for a
larger visual, the teacher read the survey questions to the entire reading class. The researcher
read the questions to the students so there was no mistake on what the questions said. Students
recorded their answers to each question on a separate piece of paper by using a pencil. After the
students completed each survey question, the teacher circulated and picked up each student’s
paper, which contained their simple phrases, short statements, and full sentences. This was
performed until all nine survey questions were answered and then collected by the teacher.
Data analysis.
The raw data was in the form of simple phrases, short statements, and full sentences
written by the students in their own words. The teacher used the eight students' responses to the
nine questions open ended questions (Appendix A) to determine whether or not the questions
helped the eight students understand and comprehend the reading story. The data revealed
through the students’ statements and responses, whether the students preferred pre-reading, mid-
narrative, or debriefing questions to help with their comprehension of the story. The data
clarified through the students’ statements and responses, whether or not quality questions should
be used during reading class in the future.
Limitations
There were several limitations during this study. One major limitation was sample size.
Due to the observation and taking anecdotal notes of each student’s contributions to the
discussion, the researcher found it hard to keep track of more than eight students’ comments and
comprehension levels of a story. This study cannot be considered representative of all reading
classrooms in the United States.
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Another limitation is survey procedures. Although measures were taken to create a safe
and secure environment, it is not certain if the participants were distracted, guessed on survey
questions, or gave random or careless answers, all of these examples could lead to
misrepresentation of participant’s answers.
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Chapter IV: Results
The purpose of this study is to see what the impact of quality questioning on reading
comprehension in my reading classroom using my reading students and using my reading
program will be. The research design was descriptive and a survey that utilizes a series of open
ended questions was used to gather information about the students' thoughts and levels of
engagement during the three different reading lessons. The first lesson included pre-reading
questions. The second lesson included mid-way questions. The third lesson included post-
reading questions. The open-ended survey followed the third lesson.
The subjects for this study were elementary students in the researcher’s reading class at
Barneveld School in Barneveld, Wisconsin during a summer reading session. The researcher’s
reading class was surveyed three consecutive days for the 2010 summer session. A total of 15
students responded to the survey. Six students were male and nine students were female. The
survey focused in on four male responses and four female responses
Item Analysis
Helpful and Non-helpful Questions
The first research questions that this study addressed, focused on which question helped
them the most with their understanding of both stories. To answer this question, the researcher
asked a series of open-ended questions (Appendix A). The first one stated “Which question
helped you the most?” The third question stated “Which question did not help you at all?” The
students recorded their answers on separate pieces of paper that were numbered and the key
ideas in their responses were highlighted, coded, and counted.
When answering the first question, all eight students wrote down a question from the pre-
reading questions lesson that helped them comprehend the story the most. For the third open-
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ended question, both males and females wrote down a question from the third reading lesson
which involved post-reading questions for understanding of the story.
Thought Provoking Question
The second research question that this study addressed dealt with which question they
thought about while reading the story. The researcher asked an open-ended question. It stated
“Which question did you most think about while reading the story?” The students recorded their
answers on index cards and the key ideas in their responses were highlighted, coded, and
counted. Both male and females wrote down this question to number three, “What does a foster
family mean.” This question came from the lesson with pre-reading questions. All eight
students did not know what a foster family meant before reading the story, so this question was
most thought about during the reading of the story.
Question That Did Not Help
The third research question that this study addressed involved questions that did not help
them with their understanding of the story. The survey question simply asked them, “Which
question did not help you at all with your understanding of the stories?”
All eight students wrote down, “Do you own a dog?” This question came from the
reading lessons that had only post-reading questions.
Unanswered Questions
The fourth research question that this study addressed, ask the students to think about any
unanswered questions they still had about the stories. The survey question asked, “Which
questions can you still not answer?”
All eight students wrote down none. One girl added that she was able to answer all
questions.
Information That Stood Out
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The fifth research question that this study addressed involved identifying which question
made something in the story stand out? The survey question asked the following, “Which
question made something in the story stand out while reading the story?” The students recorded
their answers on their piece of paper and the key ideas in their responses were highlighted,
coded, and counted.
All eight students, both males and females, choose a question from the pre-reading
quality questions lesson. Three males and two females choose the same question from that
passage and the other male and two females choose the same, but different question than the first
set of males and females mentioned here. But, both groups of males and females choose a
quality question from the lesson that only had pre-reading questions.
Pre-reading Helpfulness
The sixth research question focused on the pre-reading portion of the study and asked if
the pre-reading questions helped with their understanding of the story. More specifically the
survey question asked, “Did you find the pre-reading questions to be helpful with your
understanding of the reading story? Why or Why not?” The students recorded their answers on
their piece of paper and the key ideas in their responses were highlighted, coded, and counted.
Both males and females answered “yes.” One male and three females answered this
question with a “yes,” and wrote down an idea of what they thought the story was going to be
about. One male answered that the pre-reading questions gave him a picture in his mind of what
was going to happen in the story before even reading the story. The other two males and one
female only replied “yes,” with no explanation.
Mid-Narrative Helpfulness
The seventh research question focused on the mid-narrative portion of the study and
asked if the mid-narrative questions helped with their understanding of the story. The survey
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questioned stated, “Did you find the mid-narrative questions to be helpful with your
understanding of the reading story? Why or why not?” The students recorded their answers on
their piece of paper and the key ideas in their responses were highlighted, coded, and counted.
Six students, three males and three females answered, “No.” The mid-narrative questions
did not help them because the students stated that the mid-narrative questions asked what had
already happened in the story. These students also stated they already knew the answers to these
questions, so the mid-narrative questions were not helpful for them. One male and one female
said “Yes.” They thought the mid-narrative questions helped them review and remember what
was happening in the story. The one girl, who said yes, stated that the mid-narrative questions
made her really think and try to predict what might happen in the end of the story.
Post-questioning Helpfulness
The eighth research question focused on the post-reading portion of the study and asked
if the post-reading questions helped with their understanding of the story. More specifically the
survey question asked, “Did you find the questions at the end of the story to be helpful with your
understanding of the reading story? Why or why not?” The students recorded their answers on
their piece of paper and the key ideas in their responses were highlighted, coded, and counted.
Seven students, three male and four female said, “No.” One male said, “Yes.” The
students who said, “No,” answered that they knew what the story was about already and the
questions were there just to test their memory. The male who said, “Yes,” answered that the
post-reading questions helped him understand the story better.
More Questions Asked
The ninth and final research question addressed whether they would have liked more
questions asked to help with their understanding of the stories. The research question stated,
“Are there any questions that you wish were asked to help you better understand the story?” The
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students recorded their answers on a piece of paper and the key ideas in their responses were
highlighted, coded, and counted.
All eight students responded with a simple, “No.”
The data from the surveys determined whether the pre-reading questions or the post-
reading questions helped the male and female fourth graders to better comprehend the stories
provided.
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Chapter V: Discussion
The purpose of this study was to see what the impact of quality questioning on reading
comprehension, critical thinking skills, and the ability to recall information about the story in the
researchers reading classroom using the researchers reading students and using the reading
program would be.
Limitations
The research design for this study was action research and a survey methodology was
used to gather the data required to address the research questions. More specifically, the design
found out whether a quality questioning approach helps students comprehend the reading story at
the fourth grade level. The subjects for this study were the fourth graders at Barneveld
Elementary School in Barneveld, Wisconsin. The study was conducted during the week of July
10th through July 16th, of the 2010 summer school session.
The survey featured a questionnaire including nine open-ended questions (Appendix A).
The survey was designed to gather information about the student’s comprehension during three
reading stories. Students were asked to complete surveys in the researchers reading class and
answer questions to determine their understanding of three reading stories. Before one story was
read by the reading class, pre-reading questions were administered to the researchers reading
class. After the second story was read by the reading class, mid-narrative reading questions were
administered to the researchers reading class. After the third story was read by the reading class,
post-reading questions were administered to the researchers reading class. The questions were
given to the students in paper form. Students were able to read and respond to the questions on
an individual basis. Questionnaires were picked up by the researcher when the questionnaires
were completed. The researcher read and evaluated the results of the survey. The results were
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used to identify the trends, patterns, conceptions, misconceptions, and interests related to pre-
reading questions, mid-narrative questions, and post-reading questions.
Conclusions
The goal of this study was to increase comprehension, critical thinking skills, and recall
during reading lessons. The researcher hoped that using quality questions with the researchers
reading class would lead to a better performance in reading. Based on the data, the researcher
believes that quality questions help students with comprehension, critical thinking, and recall of
a reading story.
Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were drawn:
1. Quality pre-reading questions help students more with their understanding of a story than mid-
narrative or post-reading questions.
2. Quality pre-reading questions helped students have an idea and create a picture in their mind
about what the story was going to be about.
3. Quality pre-reading questions allow a pre-reading discussion about ideas and topics that will
be read about in the story.
4. Quality post-reading questions are really only used to test students comprehension of the story.
These questions do not help with students understanding of the story already read.
Based on the finding and conclusions of this study, the following recommendations were
drawn:
1. Quality pre-reading questions should be asked before reading a story to help give students an
idea of what the story will be about.
2. Quality pre-reading questions should be asked to clear up any misconceptions about key
words and ideas in the story that will be read.
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3. Quality mid-narrative reading questions should be asked to help students predict what might
happen by the end of the story.
3. Quality post-reading questions should be asked if the teacher wants to test for students recall
and understanding of the story.
Recommendations
If the researcher were to do this study again, three changes would be recommended.
First, a longitudinal study would be done. The researcher is interested in whether the students’
responses would change over time with the pre-reading, mid-narrative, and post reading
questions during the reading of a story. The length of this study may have been inadequate to
show significant changes in comprehension, critical thinking skills, and recall during the
different quality question reading lessons. Second, the researcher would be interested in using a
larger sample of students. This study involved testing a convenience sample. The students who
served as participants were enrolled in the researcher’s summer reading class. A larger sample
might confirm that pre-reading questions, in-fact do help with comprehension of a reading story.
Thirdly, the researcher recommends using participants from different grade levels. The
participants in this study were all fourth-grade students, so the results only pertain to this grade
level. By using students in third and fifth grades, the results could be generalized to a larger
population. Also, results from the larger population would indicate whether or not quality
questions still remain a factor in students’ comprehension, critical thinking skills and recall of a
story as the students get older.
The study had important outcomes for the researcher. The researcher believes that
quality questions were a positive experience for her students. The students genuinely enjoyed
discussing the reading story at all the different questioning parts. The researcher observed
positive conversations her students were having during the pre-reading, mid-narrative, and post-
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reading discussions. The students were enthusiastic about the questions the researcher asked and
looked forward to them in general. The researcher also noticed how important it is to build
confidence in her students so they are able to answer questions and use the reading skills they are
acquiring. The researcher plans to continue to use quality questions in her reading classroom to
help build confidence, comprehension, critical thinking skills, and recall when answering quality
questions. The benefit of using pre-reading quality questions was evident in the responses from
the students and the improvement of their comprehension of the stories.
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References
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Sadker, D. (2009). Classroom questions-types of questions, feedback, effective questing
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Appendix A:
Student Survey Questionnaire
Answer the following questions below. Write down your age on the line. Check if you are a boy or a girl. Age____ Boy____ Girl____
1. Which question helped you the most?
2. Which question did you most think about while reading the story?
3. Which question did not help you at all?
4. Which question can you still not answer?
5. Which question made something in the story stand out while reading the story?
6. Did you find the pre-reading questions to be helpful with your understanding of the reading
story? Why or why not?
35
7. Did you find the mid-narrative questions to be helpful with your understanding of the reading
story? Why or why not?
8. Did you find the questions at the end of the story to be helpful with your understanding of the
reading story? Why or why not?
9. Are there any questions that you wish were asked to help you better understand the story?
