Question/Answer Relationship (QAR) West Junior High School Staff Development August 11, 2004 Adapted for UMASD, Jean Thorpe, 1/13/2011

Students often are unable to answer questions because they have not been taught the types of questions that can be asked.

Many students try to answer questions using ONLY information from the text. Other students try to answer questions using ONLY their background knowledge.

Three Levels of Text Processing Literal – getting the facts as stated in a text. Inferential – requires readers to determine an appropriate answer drawn from the text and their prior knowledge. Critical – requires readers to think beyond what is stated in the text. Readers draw information from their prior knowledge to derive plausible answers.

Question Answer R. Relationships

“ The value of QAR lies in the way it clarifies how students can approach the task of reading texts and answering questions.” Raphael, 1986

QAR is effective in helping to delineate the differences among the three major types of comprehension – literal, inferential, and critical. Raphael, 1986

Question-Answer Relationships Right There – Text explicit Think & Search – Text implicit Author & Me – Text implicit/experienced based On My Own – experienced based

Question-Answer Relationships Right There – The answer is directly stated in the text. In fact, the words from the question and the answer are included in the same sentence.

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. What do I love to do?

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. What do I love to do? My Homework

Question-Answer Relationships Think & Search- The answer is in the text, but the words from the question and the answer are not in the same sentence.

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. How do I feel when I do what my teacher says I should?

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. How do I feel when I do what my teacher says I should? So good

Question-Answer Relationships Author & Me- The answer is not in the text, but the text provides information to use in the answer.

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. Where are they taking me?

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. Where are they taking me? Hospital, Mental facility, etc. (answer must make sense and be supported by the text)

Question-Answer Relationships On My Own- The answer is not in the text; it must come from the reader’s own experiences.

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. Why is homework an important part of school?

I Love to Do My Homework I love to do my homework, it makes me feel so good. I love to do exactly as my teacher says I should. I love to do my homework, I never miss a day. I even love the men in white who are taking me away. Why is homework an important part of school? It helps you learn new concepts, Gives the teacher an idea of how well you understand the concept, etc.

Jerry picked up his bat and ball Jerry picked up his bat and ball. He loved playing on those sunny Saturday afternoons. Before he left the house, he remembered to grab his glove from the bin. He ran the two blocks. Some boys were already there hitting and catching fly balls. Jerry joined right in, deciding to get in some extra practice while waiting for the coach to show up. What did Jerry take with him? Where was Jerry’s glove? Where did Jerry go? Why does Jerry love sunny Saturdays? What game is Jerry’s favorite game? What is your favorite game? Is it a good idea for kids to play baseball?

Jerry picked up his bat and ball Jerry picked up his bat and ball. He loved those sunny Saturday afternoons. Before he left the house, he remembered to grab his glove from the bin. He ran the two blocks. Some boys were already there hitting and catching fly balls. Jerry joined right in, deciding to get in some extra practice while waiting for the coach to show up. What did Jerry take with him? T&S Where was Jerry’s glove? RT Where did Jerry go? A&Y Why does Jerry love sunny Saturdays? A&Y What game is Jerry’s favorite game? A&Y What is your favorite game? OYO Is it a good idea for kids to play baseball? OYO

If a student can ask a good question, s/he has comprehended the text” David Pearson Begin QAR instruction with easier texts Develop questions from all four levels Model each category Give student/groups/pairs opportunities to develop their own questions and discuss catgeories