TwoArticles on Education Research

Teacher Questioning Practices
Asking questions is probably the most common interaction that language teachers have with their students.Research on the frequency of questions asked in the classroom indicates just how common they are. In one study, researchers have found that teachers ask between 300-400 questions per day. In another study researchers observed teachers asking 938 questions during 6 elementary school lessons.
Another way to view questions types is to look at whether or not they are open or closed. A closed question is a question for which there is but one answer. What is two plus two? is a prime example of a closed question. An open question is a question for which there is more than one answer.
The issue of open versus closed questions has also been linked to the issue of convergent thinking versus divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is the ability to give the ‘correct answer’ on standard questions. Success in school often depends on convergent thinking.
Divergent thinking, on the other hand, is the ability to generate multiple solutions to a problem or to look at problems in multiple ways. Divergent thinking is linked to creativity. As a language teacher, open questions can be used to generate lengthier responses from students and more discussion in general. / Teacher Questioning Practices
(1)What is the most common interaction that teachers have with students?
(2)According to one study, how many questions did teacher ask in one day?
(3)What are two types of questions?
(4)What is an open question?
(5)What is a closed question?
(6) What is convergent thinking?
(7)What is divergent thinking?
(8)What kind of thinking is linked to success in school?
(9)What kind of thinking is linked to creativity?
(10)How can language teachers use open questions?
Score out of 10: ______

Two Articles on Education Research

Display Versus Referential Questions
Questions are commonly divided into two categories: display questions and referential questions. Display questions are questions for which the teacher knows the answer already. The purpose of display questions is in general to test a student’s knowledge, to check comprehension, or to practice language. The teacher is not trying to learn new information.Referential questions are genuine questions for which the teacher does not know the answer in advance.
In general, research has found that teachers tend to use display questions more than referential questions. Teachers also tend to use more display questions for lower level classes than for advanced classes.
Though display questions are used more by teachers, referential questions have been linked to longer and more syntactically complex responses from students meaning more student production in general. As well, display questions are found rarely outside the classroom and so if the purpose of classroom instruction is to model real world communication, some authors such as David Nunan feel display questions are pedagogically purposeless.
However, even if display question are rarely found outside the classroom, they are essential for checking comprehension and assessing student knowledge. Therefore, teachers will always need some display questions. So perhaps, a good strategy is for teachers to monitor their own questions and try to reduce the number of display questions they ask. / Display Versus Referential Questions
(1) What two types of questions does the article mention?
(2) What are display questions?
(3) What are referential questions?
(4) What kind of questions do teachers tend to use?
(5) What kind of class do teachers tend to use the most display questions with?
(6)How do student answers differ with display and referential questions?
(a) (1 point)
(b) (1 point)
(7) Why do some researchers feel display questions shouldn’t be used in the classroom?
(8) Why are display questions important?
(9) What strategy does the article recommend?
Score out of 10: ______