Comprehension and a Model for Questioning.

The questioning techniques which teachers use when leading a class discussion of a reading assignment can be an essential component of profitable instruction. A brief review of the past 50 years of research on questioning levels indicates a need for attention to the cognitive level of queries as well as to their sequence since investigators have found a high percentage of questions asked by teachers could be classified in the category of rote memory. Unless a teacher is able to shift emphasis to higher cognitive levels, expecting a spirited and thoughtful discussion of a reading assignment may be futile. A model of questioning which takes into account all levels of thought and provides students with a means of digesting prose material is needed. Examples are given which follow a modified version of the Bloom taxonomy, with questions moving from specific facts to broader generalities. A sample sequence moves from questions of knowledge, comprehension, and analysis to questions of evaluation. Suggested guidelines for proper questioning include phrasing questions carefully, not answering one's own question, and allowing wait time for students to prepare answers. (MKM)