An analysis of comprehension questions in the grade one Korean national reading textbook and selected grade one reading programs of the United States

This study was conducted to examine the comprehension questions inserted in the core instructional materials for first grade reading instruction in both Korea and the United States. These materials included both pupil and teacher editions of the three most frequently used reading programs in the United and the national textbook of Korea. The Pearson and Johnson taxonomy of comprehension questioning provided a basic vehicle for analysis.;For the study, three objectives were established: (1) to determine the kinds and incidence of questions asked in each of the three United States programs and the national textbook of Korea, (2) to examine what kinds of questions occur most frequently in each state of pre- and post-reading as well as during the reading in the four reading programs, and (3) to examine whether the kinds and incidence of questions asked vary as a function of literary category of selections included in the four programs.;From all selections of the four reading programs, a total of 5,791 questions were classified. In the examination of the kinds and incidence of questions, the findings revealed that the Korean textbook asked a substantially greater percentage of text-tied factual questions than did the United States programs. The three United States programs, however, differed somewhat from publisher to publisher in their questioning strategies. Regarding the issue of question placement, the findings of the study indicated that the programs utilized similar patterns of questions in pre-, during-, and post-reading activities. For instance, all the programs emphasized background questions in pre-reading activity and opinion questions in post-reading activities, although the degree of emphasis varied. The examination of questions based on the literary category of selections indicated that all programs with the exception of one United States program exhibited no substantial differences in the kinds of questions according to the literary category.;Based on the findings of the study, some recommendations were suggested to publishers, teachers, and future researchers.