Even Experts Have Questions!

As teachers we are expected to be experts in our field. Our students view us as experts in our field. We need to model to them that even teachers and experts have questions about the text we read.  When I am teaching, I need to model that I am a reader and a writer, and that I question the text that I read and write.  I can model that there is not always one exact answer for each question. 

A great way to model questioning text is to write down your questions before class and show them to your class.  Read each question to them and then have them read specific parts of the text. This should begin some good pre-reading discussion about the upcoming text.  This will also help students develop their own questions while reading.  Comparing questions may also help students compare and contrast the level of understanding just by the questions they ask.  Often times, experts in that specific content area will have more sophisticated questions. 

In this book, Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? by Cris Tovani, she uses comprehension constructors. "A comprehension constructor is a concrete way of taking students though an abstract process, and the simpler and more authentic it is, the better." An example of a comprehension constructor is a journal entry.  Journal entries try to get students to connect information with other places or activities. Using accessible text will prompt more thinking and using the comprehension constructor will help students to achieve multiple answers. Try and stay away from worksheets that only guide or allow one question answers.  To prompt a discussion, teachers can ask students to picture the text as a movie.  When students view the text as a movie they can compare and contrast the characters, the scene and give details about what they envision. 

"Asking questions is a signal that you are constructing meaning.  Readers who don't ask questions are often disengaged and unable to remember what they've read." Questions help readers hold their thoughts and begin discussions about the text.  Questions keep the discussion focused and keep it form turning into a free for all discussion.