Reading Strategy: Questioning compiled by M.Siwak

From a very early age toddlers begin to ask questions in order to make sense of the world they live in.

All day, everyday ……………………. Why do I have to eat my peas? Why do I have to go to bed? Why do I have to brush my teeth? Why is the sky blue? What do you do at work? Who is that man? When is it my birthday? Where is China? Where does the rain come from? How do I make purple?

Don’t be left in the dark

Understand what you read by asking questions.

Good readers pose and answer questions in order to clarify meaning and promote deeper understanding of the text.

Questions can come before reading, during reading and after reading. Begin to wonder about the text you read.

I wonder …… I wonder where he is going? I wonder if he is lost? I wonder if he speaks English? I wonder what may be in his backpack? I wonder if someone is waiting for him? I wonder where he has already been? I wonder if his feet hurt?

Types of Questions Here/ Thin Questions Family Pets Literal level of comprehension where the answer is right here in the text. Who? What? When? Where?

Types of Questions Hidden/ Thick Questions Interpretative level of comprehension. The answer is found by joining together information from two or more places in the text. Why? How come?

Types of Questions Head / Evaluative/ Critical/ Analytical Answer comes from your background knowledge. What issues were addressed? What does the author want you to believe? Do you think it might be better? Did you ever consider? How come?

James Thurber “It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers”