No. 11.

1. The functions teachers questions usually perform in the language classroom.

a) eliciting information;
b) obliging students to make some kind of contribution;
c) controlling the progress of interaction;
d) obtaining feedback on students progress;
e) checking understanding;
f) controlling behavior.
Teachers questions make students speak, response determine a kind of discourse natural and pedagogic.
Functions:
a) eliciting information to elicit (wydobywa co z kogo) information from students, e.g. student read a book
and then is being asked about the content,
b) obliging students to make some kind of contribution questions are used to get students to say something,
some of them could just sit and listen,
c) controlling the progress of interaction question is used to start something new, e.g. did you read the text?
or do you do any sport?
d) obtaining feedback on students progress getting feedback , teachers question check e.g. irregular forms:
- What time did you get up?
- I woke up.
e) checking understanding asking questions whether students understand what is being discussed,
f) controlling behavior teacher asks questions to regain control of situation in the class to particular student.
2. The predominance of the IRF exchange in the classroom and its possible shortcomings (vide handout
No. 10).
The predominance (przewaga) of IRF a high degree of predictability, the teacher oftentimes knows the answer
and is more interested in its linguistic form than in the message itself, student responses are usually extremely
limited, oftentimes no genuine (prawdziwy), information is exchanged.
3. Be able to explain the distinctions between:
a) factual vs. higher-order questions;
b) open vs. closed questions.
a) factual vs. higher-order questions:
- factual questions require student to e.g. say something he learnt by heart display a knowledge.
- higher-order questions get student to reflect on what he said, require student to process the information,
e.g. Why Poles are the way they are?
Factual are far more frequent than higher-order questions.
b) open vs. closed questions:
- open questions require longer response, e.g. What do you think about something.
- closed questions require shorter response.
4. The concept of wait-time, defined as the amount of time the teacher pauses after a question and before
pursuing the answer with further questions of nomination of another student.
Wait-time amount of time the teacher waits after asking a question before repeating that question or directing that
question to another student. Problem may be when teacher waits too short. As a result student dont have time to
process the information.
9. Give examples of criticisms leveled at the display-referential distinction.
Not all referentially driven interactions are potent (przekonujcy) when it comes to stimulating student output. Both
display and referential questions are critical to the management of the learning process.

5. What is the impact of prolonged wait-time on the quality of students responses? Give examples of
situations when prolonging wait-time is not necessary and could even prove harmful.
The quality of students responses after extended wait-time:
- the average length of student responses increased,
- appropriateness of students responses increased,
- failures to respond decreased,
- there was an increase in speculative (oparty na domysach) responses,
- there was an increase in student-to-student comparisons of data.
- inferential statements increased,
- student-initiated questions increased,
- students generally made a greater variety of verbal contributions to the lesson.
6. The benefits and drawbacks of general (the question is addressed to all the students who then are allowed
to volunteer) and direct (the question is addressed to a particular student) nomination (vide handout No.
10).

general nomination a question asked to all of the students.

- everyone has the right to speak (more communicative symmetry),
- everybody can speak = more similar to naturalistic discourse,
- some students will not participate,
- there might be noise,
- responses can be very short.

direct nomination a question directed to one particular person.

- more order in the classroom,
- rest of the class do nothing, only one person thinks about the question,
- we are forcing to speak, it can be embarrassing.
7. What is the teachers action zone and which students usually form it?

Teachers action zone part of the class to which the teacher directs most of his questions. Students which usually
form action zone are those who sit in the front rows, who are more proficient or those who teacher likes most.
8. The distinction between display and referential questions and their pedagogical value.

display questions are those to which asker knows the answer, e.g. Is this a book?
referential questions are those to which asker doesnt know the answer.

Referential questions lead to longer and more complex responses. Both are useful, teacher has to use both. Its a
matter of balance which one is better. In classroom display questions are more common. Display questions are hardly
ever asked in communication outside the classroom.
Direct questions can also lead to longer responses it depends on teacher who has to be flexible, e.g. after reading
some text :
- What did she do after coming back home?
10. What factors should we take into account when deciding on a particular question type?
Choice of question should depend on:
- level of the learners,
- the objectives of the lesson,
- the size of the class,
- the task within the lesson.