Questioning

 

“An unanswered question is a fine traveling companion.

It sharpens your eye for the road.”

-Anonymous

Rationale:

In grades K-3 in both reading informational and reading literature, the Common Core State Standards call for students to ask and answer questions based on details in a text. This is because successful reading is “not simply the mechanical process of "decoding" text. Rather, it is a process of active inquiry” (Teachervision.com). Strong readers use the strategy of of questioning before, during, and after reading. To comprehend well, a student must ask themselves questions at all three stages to help clarify their understanding. Then, once students have mastered this, they can use the strategy to assist them as they read more difficult texts. Additionally, they can delve deeper into texts by asking themselves about specific words and phrases (CCSS.RL. and RI.4), the structures uses in the text (CCSS.RL. and RI. 5 and 7), character or claim development (CCSS RL.3 and RI.8), author’s craft for engaging the reader (RL. and RI.5,6,7) and comparisons across texts (RL.9 and RI.9).

Resources: TeacherVision.com, California Common Core State Standards for ELA

 

Applications

Although there is not a lock-step way to teach questioning; however, these are the various lessons that could be taught separately or simultaneously, whole group or in guided reading about questions:

  1. What is asking questions?
  2. How do readers talk about their questions?
  3. Readers ask questions before, during and after reading
  4. Holding our before questions in our mind as we read – Make Predictions
  5. Readers ask questions to clarify confusing ideas – Huh?
  6. Readers ask questions differently when reading a variety of genres

(This link will take you to a lesson plan for each lesson listed above: http://www.wayland.k12.ma.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1036352/File/Curriculum/Units%20of%20Study/Unit%20of%20Study%20-%20Asking%20Questions.pdf)

How to:

Continue using the to-with-group-by method.

To- Model the thinking a reader would do when they ask themselves a question. "What text features do I see? I see a title that says ‘Turtles’, pictures and section headings. I think this is going to be an informational text about turtles. Let’s see if I’m correct"

Explain how this will help the reader as they continue.

With- Have students try out the strategy all together as a group where you are leading them after you have modeled how to ask this type of question (refer to applications above).

Group- Ask students to share their questions with partners or table groups. Have students evaluate each other's questions to see if they meet the criteria you taught.

By- Ask students to try out the strategy as the read their independent reading books. Use the assessment techniques listed below to formatively assess students’ abilities to use the strategy.

 

Sample Lesson Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd1FlXxpVIw

 

Assessment:

  • Informal observation during lesson
  • Students place sticky notes on the reading with their thinking
  • Students record their questions on graphic organizers
  • Reading conferences after independent reading time