1. The man who saysThe man who says
I “know” is already deadI “know” is already dead..
But the man who thinks IBut the man who thinks I
““don` t knowdon` t know”,”,
who is discovering, finding outwho is discovering, finding out
not seeking an end, notnot seeking an end, not
thinking in terms of arriving orthinking in terms of arriving or
becoming-such a man is, livingbecoming-such a man is, living
and that living is truthand that living is truth..
KrishnamurtiKrishnamurti

2. Questioning in a reading comprehension lesson
Objectives:
Participants will be able to
1.Discuss different ways of questioning in a reading
comprehension lesson.
2.Categorize different types of reading comprehension questions.
3.Write a checklist to assess reading comprehension questions.

3. Task 1Task 1
Discuss the statements below. Which statements do youDiscuss the statements below. Which statements do you
agree/disagree with?agree/disagree with?
1. Questioning in a reading lesson is an attempt to test
comprehension
2. In order to check comprehension appropriately the teacher
should ask the students not to look at the text when answering
questions.
3. A perfect answer to a question teaches nothing, but each wrong
answer is an opportunity for learning.
4. Written questions should always be answered in writing.
5. Questions of literal comprehension are essential preliminaries to
any serious work on the text.
6. The teacher's evaluation of the students` answers should focus
only on content.

4. TaskTask
22
Discuss the questions suggested on page 38,Discuss the questions suggested on page 38,
39, 40, 41, 53, 64, 65, 80 and39, 40, 41, 53, 64, 65, 80 and 81 in the Activity81 in the Activity
Book 3S (B) and try to group them by type in aBook 3S (B) and try to group them by type in a
systematicsystematic arrangementarrangement..

5. TaskTask
33
Read the following taxonomy of comprehension questions suggested byRead the following taxonomy of comprehension questions suggested by
Johnson (1978Johnson (1978(( How does it compare to the categories you came up with inHow does it compare to the categories you came up with in
task 2task 2..
CATEGORY
Textually-explicit questions.
DEFINTION
Low-order level, for
Factual/literal comprehension:
“reading the
lines”
Textually-implicit questions Middle-order level, for
inference:" reading between
the lines.”
Scriptually-implicit questions
High-order level, for the
Application of one's
Knowledge about the
World:" reading beyond
The lines.”

6. TaskTask
33
Look at the questions on page 64 in 3S (B) Activity BookLook at the questions on page 64 in 3S (B) Activity Book..
What categories do they belong to. Tick the right box, then discuss your answersWhat categories do they belong to. Tick the right box, then discuss your answers..
TEQ=Textually-explicit questions
TIQ=Textually-implicit questions
SIQ=Scripturally-implicit questions
QuestionsQuestions TEQTEQ TIQTIQ SIQSIQ
Name: Ahmed bin Majid --------------------------------------------------
Date of birth: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place of birth: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bases in Oman: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most famous book: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year of birth: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
WhoWho
a.wrote about Ahmed`s meeting with Vasco da Gama?--------------------------
b.Forced Ahmed to sail to India? -------------------------------------------------------
c.took control of most of the Indian Ocean trade during the
16thcentury?------------------------------------------------------------------------
d. don't believe that Ahmed bin Majid helped the

7. Read the text, “The most famous Arab navigator”,Read the text, “The most famous Arab navigator”,
and designand design questions to illustrate the threequestions to illustrate the three
categories of the taxonomy. Write at leastcategories of the taxonomy. Write at least twotwo
questions for each categoryquestions for each category..
TEQTEQ:: 1.
2.
TIQTIQ:: 1.
2.
SIQSIQ:: 1.
2.

8. TaskTask
55
*Write a checklist to take into account when assessing comprehension
questions
*Compare your checklist with the following assessing questions. What
questions from your checklist would you add to the list?
A. Can the questions be answered without referring to the text?
The answer should be no.
It is quite surprising that it turns out to be yes, especially when MC
questions are concerned
B .Are there several questions on every part of the text?
This is not a principle to be maintained at all costs, but it is unusual
to find a part of a text that is not worth any attention.
c. Are there enough questions?
Textbooks rarely supply anything like enough questions; many of the
extra ones should be presented orally and geared to the difficulties that
arise in the classroom.
d. Are the questions varied in type?

9. e. Do some questions specifically make the students aware of the strategies
reader needs?
f .Do the questions attempt to help the students to understand?
or have they been written only as tests?
g .Are they written in language that is more difficult than the text?
h. Do the answers require language that is too difficult for the students
to handle?
))Nuttal, 1982: 134Nuttal, 1982: 134((

10. e. Do some questions specifically make the students aware of the strategies
reader needs?
f .Do the questions attempt to help the students to understand?
or have they been written only as tests?
g .Are they written in language that is more difficult than the text?
h. Do the answers require language that is too difficult for the students
to handle?
))Nuttal, 1982: 134Nuttal, 1982: 134((