The man who saysThe man who says

I “know” is already deadI “know” is already dead..

But the man who thinks IBut the man who thinks I““don` t knowdon` t know,”,”

who is discovering, finding outwho is discovering, finding out

not seeking an end, notnot seeking an end, notthinking in terms of arriving orthinking in terms of arriving or

becoming-such a man is, livingbecoming-such a man is, living

and that living is truthand that living is truth..

KrishnamurtiKrishnamurti

Questioning in a reading comprehension lesson

Objectives:

Participants will be able to

1.Discuss different ways of questioning in a reading comprehension lesson.

2.Categorize different types of reading comprehension questions.

3.Write a checklist to assess reading comprehension questions.

Task 1Task 1

Discuss the statements below. Which statements do youDiscuss the statements below. Which statements do you agree/disagree with?agree/disagree with?

1. Questioning in a reading lesson is an attempt to test comprehension

2. In order to check comprehension appropriately the teacher should ask the students not to look at the text when answering questions.

3. A perfect answer to a question teaches nothing, but each wrong answer is an opportunity for learning.

4. Written questions should always be answered in writing.5. Questions of literal comprehension are essential preliminaries to

any serious work on the text. 6. The teacher's evaluation of the students` answers should focus

only on content.

Task Task 22

Discuss the questions suggested on page 38, Discuss the questions suggested on page 38, 39, 40, 41, 53, 64, 65, 80 and39, 40, 41, 53, 64, 65, 80 and 81 in the Activity 81 in the Activity Book 3S (B) and try to group them by type in a Book 3S (B) and try to group them by type in a systematicsystematic arrangementarrangement..

Task Task 33

Read the following taxonomy of comprehension questions suggested by Read the following taxonomy of comprehension questions suggested by Johnson (1978Johnson (1978( ( How does it compare to the categories you came up with in How does it compare to the categories you came up with in task 2task 2..

CATEGORY

Textually-explicit questions.

DEFINTION

Low-order level, for Factual/literal comprehension:

“ reading the lines”

Textually-implicit questions Middle-order level, forinference:" reading between the lines.”

Scriptually-implicit questions High-order level, for the Application of one's Knowledge about the

World:" reading beyond The lines.”

Task Task 33

Look at the questions on page 64 in 3S (B) Activity BookLook at the questions on page 64 in 3S (B) Activity Book..What categories do they belong to. Tick the right box, then discuss your answersWhat categories do they belong to. Tick the right box, then discuss your answers..

TEQ=Textually-explicit questions

TIQ=Textually-implicit questions

SIQ=Scripturally-implicit questions

QuestionsQuestions TEQTEQ TIQTIQ SIQSIQ Name: Ahmed bin Majid --------------------------------------------------

Date of birth: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Place of birth: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bases in Oman: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Most famous book: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Year of birth: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

WhoWho

a.wrote about Ahmed`s meeting with Vasco da Gama?--------------------------b.Forced Ahmed to sail to India? -------------------------------------------------------

c.took control of most of the Indian Ocean trade during the 16thcentury?------------------------------------------------------------------------

d. don't believe that Ahmed bin Majid helped the

Portuguese?-----------------------------------------------------------

Read the text, “The most famous Arab navigator”, Read the text, “The most famous Arab navigator”, and designand design questions to illustrate the three questions to illustrate the three categories of the taxonomy. Write at leastcategories of the taxonomy. Write at least two two questions for each categoryquestions for each category..

TEQTEQ: : 1.2.

TIQTIQ: : 1.2.

SIQSIQ: : 1.2.

Task Task 55

*Write a checklist to take into account when assessing comprehension questions*Compare your checklist with the following assessing questions. What questions from your checklist would you add to the list?

A. Can the questions be answered without referring to the text?The answer should be no. It is quite surprising that it turns out to be yes, especially when MC questions are concerned

B .Are there several questions on every part of the text?

This is not a principle to be maintained at all costs, but it is unusualto find a part of a text that is not worth any attention.

c. Are there enough questions?Textbooks rarely supply anything like enough questions; many of the extra ones should be presented orally and geared to the difficulties that arise in the classroom.

d. Are the questions varied in type?

e. Do some questions specifically make the students aware of the strategies

reader needs?

f .Do the questions attempt to help the students to understand?or have they been written only as tests?

g .Are they written in language that is more difficult than the text?

h. Do the answers require language that is too difficult for the students

to handle?

((Nuttal, 1982: 134Nuttal, 1982: 134))