Types of Questions Used in the Teaching of Short Stories

• Main Author: Harvindar, Kaur
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/26897/1/Submitted_Extended_Abstract.docx; http://irep.iium.edu.my/26897/

Critical and creative thinking skills are two of the criteria required in the Malaysian English Language Syllabus. Teachers are required to infuse these skills in the teaching and learning of the English language in Malaysian classrooms. One of the ways this can be done is through questioning. Thus, this study investigates at the types of questions employed by the teachers teaching short stories in the literature in English component in the form 4 syllabus. The data for this study were collected using observations with three form 4 teachers for a duration of 5 weeks. The data were analysed using the Barrett’s Taxonomy of reading comprehension. The findings of the study indicate that there is a tendency for teachers to employ questions of lower-order thinking as compared to questions of higher-order thinking. This study recommends that the teachers be provided with specific trainings on how to pitch their questions to inculcate critical and creative thinking skills in their learners. Keywords: questioning, reading comprehension, Barrett’s Taxonomy, higher-order thinking skills, lower-order thinking skills Biodata Harvindar Kaur is currently teaching the English Language and English for Academic Writing subjects at the Centre for Languages and Pre-University Academic Development (CELPAD), International Islamic University Malaysia. She graduated from the Sultan Idris Education University in years 2007 and 2010 with B.Ed. TESL (Hons) and M.Ed. TESL, respectively.