A Comparative Study Of Teachers' Questioning Behaviors In EFL Classes And Authentic EL Classes Abroad

Teachers' questioning behavior is one of the most thoroughly and widely researched topics in the area of classroom teaching.The Q-A(Question-Answer)patterns are predominant and pervasive in classrooms of most subjects.As a subject aiming for speaking out,the language education,especially the foreign language learning,needs more interaction than any other subject.Asking questions is one of the most frequently used interactive tools,and it is strongly highlighted in the western educational world.Not only can teachers be expected to ask enlightening questions,the students are also encouraged to ask right and meaningful questions as a way to learn.We can get a glimpse from the growing popularity of Socratic Seminar as the common classroom practice.Nowadays in English education in China,it is a trend as well as a basic requirement to conduct an English class with pure English instructions,including delivering lessons and managing classes completely in English.What's more,the increasing international schools established in some well-developed cities require content classes instructed in pure English.Teachers have turned their attention to how to effectively deliver lessons,manage classes and foster interactions in English.Therefore,the research to compare teachers' questioning behaviors in EFL classes with authentic EL classes abroad is worthy and meaningful.Through the comparative analysis of language teachers' questioning behaviors,we can recognize the differences and thus improve our English classes by learning the Q-A discourses in authentic EL classes.Finally through better questioning behaviors,we can reach the ultimate goal—making the EFL classroom an interactive environment and a learning community that yields not only academic competence,but also confident,independent and active English language users.This research is confined to the scope of K12 education.The data is derived from the transcripts of English online class videos.Twelve English classes from home and abroad are carefully selected from the Internet and transcribed with a great attention.The research looks into the different questioning behaviors in English classrooms,attempting to answer the following three questions(For the convenience of describing the two kinds of classes from home and abroad in this research,the researcher here names them as "the EFL classes" and "the authentic EL classes" just for readers to know):1.What are the differences in teachers' questioning frequency,the type and the structure of questions between the EFL classes in China and the authentic EL classes abroad?2.What are the differences in students' answering behaviors(including students'attitude,involvement,and the length of students' answers)between two groups?3.What are the differences in teachers' feedback to students' answers between two groups?What different strategies are employed when dealing with unexpected answers?By comparing and analyzing the data from the transcripts of selected class videos,the research finds that:1.Compared to authentic EL classes abroad,the questions asked in EFL classes are still fewer than enough;the closed questions are overly used;the syntactic structures are relatively easy with wh-questions dominating the whole part;the questions are monotonous with a lack of variety such as tag questions,etc.2.Compared to the native-speaking learners,the EFL learners in China tend to take a comparatively passive role in the question-based discourses;they answer questions with less output;and either few students are engaged in one IRF turn or the whole class answer questions in a collective way.3.Teachers from EFL classes focus more on the cognitive aspects relating to being right or wrong when they give feedback,most of the time neglecting the affective part feedback plays;teachers from authentic EL classes spend longer time in giving feedback with more positive and constructive comments;strategies used by teachers from the two groups when they deal with unexpected answers also differ in some way.And the differences in teachers' core values and expectations for students'answers can finally explain.In summary,the research is intended to highlight the nature and functions of this increasingly important tool for classroom interaction by focusing on the teachers'questioning behaviors in EL classes from home and abroad,to present a comparative result to the readers and finally some suggestions are given to English teachers in EFL classes for better questioning behaviors and strategies.