Scaffolded Questioning

Most reading texts used for practice include questions for learners to check their comprehension, but often the questions fall short of challenging learners beyond the information found easily in the text. The information in this activity is to assist in scaffolding questions so learners get practice in checking their comprehension, going beyond the text, and developing their critical thinking by giving their opinions.

Preparation When to Use It

• To promote prediction and schema setting • To give students practice in reflecting on texts more deeply

Level

Skills

1. Prepare two or three questions (or more) for each category for a text to be used in class (categories explained below). Each set of Practice four types of questions should be on separate sheets of paper to be placed around the room. Materials 2. The four question types should be delivered in order of difficulty Paper (as listed below). Students should be made aware of the differences of the types of questions: Preparation Time a. IN THE TEXT 10 minutes i. Right There: For this type of question, the information should be easy to find by scanning. Students should be able Activity Time to look back very quickly to find the answer if they didn’t 15–20 minutes for first-time introduction of catch it while reading. In fact, for this type of question, the question types; 5–10 minutes thereafter learners do not need to read the text closely, but could just scan the text quickly to find the answer. E.g., What is Frank’s last name in the Reading introduction? ii. Think and Search: For this question, students need to put information together from different sentences in the text to answer the question. Have students read the text and check their answers to the statements as they read. They should be doing this activity during the reading. E.g., What is the difference between Learning to Read and Reading to Learn? b. OUTSIDE THE TEXT iii. Author and Me: For this type of question, the reader uses the information in the text and thinks beyond what’s there to relate the topic to him/herself or what he/she knows. This could be a prediction question about what will happen next (in a chapter book, for example). E.g., What are some examples of intensive and extensive reading mentioned in the text that you’ve experienced recently? iv. On My Own: For these questions, it’s not necessary to have read the text to answer the question. However, having read the text may prompt some schema and prior experience to better think through one’s answer. E.g., What kinds of texts do you enjoy reading in your spare time? Are there some that you shy away from? Why?

Procedure

1. Place worksheets with questions (by type) in each corner of the room. Label the corners with the types of questions (1.

Right There, 2. Think and Search, etc.). 2. Tell students, when they finish the reading, they should go to the first corner to get a worksheet, return to their desk, and answer the questions. 3. When they finish with the first set of questions, they go to the second corner and get a slip/sheet of paper with those questions to answer, etc. 4. When they are finished with all four corners, they can work with a partner to compare their answers. 5. When most or all students are finished, debrief on the reading and the questions.

Variations

1. For future in-class readings and Scaffolded Questioning in corners, allow learners to choose what corner they want to go to first, which will allow them to choose their difficulty level. 2. Have learners prepare comprehension questions based on a text before learning about the question types. Introduce them to the various types and have them categorize the questions they drafted. This usually reveals that most questioning is focused on questions found In the Text. 3. Have learners/groups prepare questions based on the four categories as they read. As they get familiar with the question types, they will start to look at texts differently and begin to use Outside the Text questions more naturally. They can prepare the various types of questions for their classmates. 4. Have learners draft the questions on a reading and then swap with other learners. The readings can be different as well.