The Examination of Elementary Teachers’ Effectiveness on Using Questions Strategy in Their Classrooms

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Questioning is at the heart of classroom practice. Questions are ways that a classroom teacher helps students think creatively, critically and analytically. Although teachers seem questions in their classroom very often, literatures show that most of them do not know how to use this strategy effectively.
Senior students at college of education have to take school experience course in a semester seven and teaching experience in a semester eight in Turkey. At the time of school experience, students are responsible to observe teaching-learning activities in classroom and extracurricular activities in school. Their observations consist of several categories related to teachers’ professional skills. One of them is that how does a teacher use question and answer strategy. Does a teacher’s question challenge students’ thinking and improve critical and creative thinking.
The aim of this study was to examine elementary teachers’ effectiveness based on using questions strategy in their classrooms. During student’s observation, teachers do not feel under pressure because this observation is not purposed to evaluate their effectiveness. Therefore, they do not feel uncomfortable and try to make role. This observation is carried out under natural atmosphere of educational activities.
The study samples are 250 student teachers at department of elementary education. They visit classrooms from one to fifth grades. In order to collect data, a questionnaire developed by researcher is administered student teachers to evaluate teacher’s effectiveness regarding to use questioning strategy in their classroom. Since procedure has been going on, the result of this study will be finalized in January 2009.

Stream: Curriculum and Pedagogy; Student Learning, Learner Experiences, Learner Diversity

Paper: The Examination of Elementary Teachers’ Effectiveness on Using Questioning Strategies in their Classrooms

I have been assistant professor at College of education of Selcuk University since 1998. I received my masters and Ph. D. from Ohio University,Athens, OH, USA. I teach some courses at undergraduate and graduate level. In addition, I carry out research alone and with my colleagues. I participate as an ınstructor in in-sevice teacher training programs as a staff. On the other hand, I am adviser of private Esentepe primary school of Selcuk University.