The Art of Questioning in Improving Your Child's English Language Skills

Asking questions is vital to supporting student learning and involvement, especially in English. Effective questioning techniques can stimulate critical thinking, language proficiency, and active participation among students. Educators and parents can utilize various questions to facilitate these skills and engage young learners. Here are some practical strategies for incorporating different types of questions to enhance English language development:

Encourage open-ended conversations: Engage your child in meaningful conversations that encourage them to express themselves in English. Instead of asking yes-or-no questions, prompt them to provide extended responses that require more thought and elaboration.

Example: "Tell me about your favorite part of today's school day and why you enjoyed it."

Foster Exploration and Inquiry: Nurture curiosity and inquisitiveness by asking questions and encouraging your child to think and explore their surroundings or specific topics.

Example: "I wonder why the leaves change colors in the autumn. What are your thoughts on this?"

Stimulate Comparative Thinking: Develop language skills by incorporating questions that compare and contrast different objects, activities, or experiences.

Example: "How is playing with building blocks similar to playing with dolls? How are they different?"

Inspire Imagination and Hypothetical Thinking: Spark creativity with imaginative or hypothetical questions, encouraging your child to think beyond the immediate context.

Example: "If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go? What would you do there?"

Engage in Storytelling and Narrative Building: Support language development by integrating questions into storytelling activities. Encourage your child to contribute to the story or share their imaginative tales.

Example: "What happens next in our story? Use your imagination!"

Explore Feelings and Emotions: Encourage your child to express their emotions in different situations by asking questions that prompt reflection and self-expression.

Example: "How did you feel when you met your new friend at school? Why did you feel that way?"

Incorporate questions into everyday activities: Make questioning a part of your daily routines and activities, such as cooking, shopping, or playing, to provide meaningful context for language learning.

Example: "What ingredients do we need for our recipe today?"

Incorporate questions into everyday activities: Make questioning a part of your daily routines and activities, such as cooking, shopping, or playing, to provide meaningful context for language learning.

Example: "What ingredients do we need for our recipe today?"

Encourage Observations: Prompt your child to observe their surroundings and share their observations through questions, promoting attentiveness and descriptive language skills.

Example: "What animals do you see at the zoo? What are they doing?"

Provide Positive Reinforcement: Utilize non-hierarchical questions to offer praise and positive reinforcement, fostering a positive attitude towards language learning.

Example: "Can you tell me something new you learned today that makes you proud?"

Implementing various question types creates an engaging learning environment for young learners, nurturing their curiosity and facilitating critical thinking skills. It is essential to consider each child's age and language proficiency when selecting appropriate questions. Your child will feel comfortable expressing themselves in English by fostering a nurturing and encouraging atmosphere. Regular, meaningful interactions using different types of questions will significantly contribute to their language development and overall learning experience.

Written By: Ms. Alleli Fajardo (alleli.fajardo@sph.ac.id) - Junior School ELL (English Language Learners) Teacher

References:

Bury, James, and Yoichi Masuzawa. “Non-Hierarchical Learning: Sharing Knowledge, Power and Outcomes.” Journal of Pedagogic Development, vol. 8, no. 1, p. 32, core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153536466.pdf.

Ma, Xiaoyan. “The Skills of Teacher’s Questioning in English Classes.” International Education Studies, vol. 1, no. 4, 1 Nov. 2008, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1065462.pdf, https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v1n4p92.