Asking Questions: Comprehension Strategy
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Our students are learning that readers use lots of strategies to help them understand what they are reading. To develop critical thinking, we ask questions. However, there are many types of questions.
Some of our questions are made before we read, or as we read. We predict by asking questions or "wonderings". What will Red Riding Hood do when she sees that her grandmother looks different? I wonder if she will notice how different her "grandmother looks."
We monitor our comprehension by asking questions when we don't understand something. These are "Huh?" questions. We might not know what a word means. Perhaps the character has said something that doesn't seem to make sense.
Hand Questions, Bottom of the CN Tower:
Some questions can be answered easily. We can touch the answer in the book with our hand. The grade 2's are using the analogy of the CN Tower. Ms Bruton told them that those are the questions where you go in the door, look around, touch the answer and get right back outside.
Head Questions, Going up!
Head questions might take you up a few levels. It will take you more time and effort to answer these! You need to think about these questions using information from the book, but you must add your own ideas or experience to the story. Red Riding Hood gave the wolf some information. Do you think this was a good thing to do? Why or Why not?
Heart Questions: Top of the CN Tower!
Heart Questions: These are at the top of the CN Tower. You might have to really think about what you read; combine your own thinking and background information and then make a decision based on your feelings about this. You might need to take a good look around to view the information, think about how your are feeling, and find the proof from the story and your own experience and knowledge. You have to evaluate the different points of view. You will probably make inferences by putting together all the ideas and come up with something you have have never thought of before! This is critical literacy.
This is how the students in Ms. Bruton's Grade 2 Class are practicing their thinking. They are looking for answers all over the CN Tower. They know that they have to read carefully to find the information to make inferences, synthesize new ideas and analyze information to understand whose point of view they are reading.
All students in every grade are developing an understanding of how asking questions helps the reader to improved understanding.
How you can help at home:
Questions help in reading, discussions and when viewing fictional programs or non-fiction programs. As you read, ask your child what questions she/he has before, during and after reading or viewing. Some questions can't be answered right away. You may need to talk more with anther person to get his/her point of view. It may need further research. Some questions can be answered right in the text or by what a character says or the image. Some questions require deep thinking and feelings.
Questions: just another way to help our students be thoughtful readers!