TEACHERS’ QUESTIONING STRATEGIES IN THE ENGLISH

CLASSROOM INTERACTION

ARTICLE

DINA ILMAYANA
NPM. 180114042

STUDY PROGRAM OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE, ART AND HUMANITIES
HAMZANWADI UNIVERSITY
2022

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 TEACHERS’ QUESTIONING STRATEGIES IN THE ENGLISH
CLASSROOM INTERACTION

ARTICLE

An article

Submited to Hamzanwadi University in the Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements For the Degree of Sarjana Pendidikan in English Language
Education

STUDY PROGRAM OF ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF LANGUAGE, ART AND HUMANITIES
HAMZANWADI UNIVERSITY
2022

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 TEACHERS’ QUESTIONING STRATEGIES IN THE ENGLISH
CLASSROOM INTERACTION

DINA ILMAYANA

Study Program Of English Language Education

Email: Dinailmayana18@gmail.com

Abstract :
The purposes of this study were to find out and to know the types of
teachers' questioning strategies in English classroom interaction and to identify
the dominant questions used by English teachers based on the learning phase. This
research was conducted with a qualitative descriptive method. The sample of this
study consisted of three English teachers and used a purposive sampling method.
The instruments used in this study were observations and field notes. The
researcher analyzed the data in three ways: reading, describing, and classifying.
Based on the results of data analysis, the researcher found that the types of
questions used by English teachers were seven managerial questions (11.86%),
seventeen rhetorical questions (28.81%), and sixteen closed questions (27.11%),
and nineteen open questions (32.75%). While the dominant questions based in the
learning phase were rhetorical questions on the main activity, with a total of 38
questions.

Keywords : Teacher Questioning Strategies, Classroom Interaction

1 INTRODUCTION
The 2013 curriculum is currently being implemented in Indonesia. The
2013 curriculum is designed to produce human resources who are ready to enter
the industrial era 4.0 or the twenty-first century. Every student is expected to have
4C skills, which is a defining feature of 21st-century learning (Putra &
Nurlizawati, 2019). Based on data from the United Nations Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the quality of education in Indonesia is
ranked 10 out of 14 developing countries, and the quality of teachers is ranked 14

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out of 14 developing countries in the world. One of the factors contributing to
Indonesia's low level of education is a lack of interaction skills in the classroom.
Learning methods oriented toward higher-order thinking skills can be used
to improve learning quality (HOTS). The primary goal of education is to develop
higher-order thinking skills. (Radiansyah et al., 2022) "Higher Order Thinking
Skill (HOTS) is a higher order thinking skill that requires critical, creative, and
analytical thinking to solve problems involving information and data." In
Indonesia, the teaching and learning process still prioritizes comprehension of the
material, making learning activities appear passive and solely teacher-centered.
One of the classroom management principles is how teachers encourage students
to actively participate in learning activities (Gil-Espinosa, 2021). Teachers can use
the question and answer method to elicit student participation and discussion. The
characteristics of the questioning strategy, according to Chin (2007) in Rahmah
(2017, p.9), are flexible when the teacher adjusts questions based on student
responses to engage students in higher-order thinking. Taking low-level questions
and turning them into higher-order thinking.
Teacher questioning serves many purposes, including encouraging
students to develop critical thinking skills and assessing students' comprehension
of material (Astrid et al., 2019; Cotton, 1988; Prasetianto, 2019); students learn to
respect ideas that differ from their own. (Esther Fusco herself (2012, pp. 3-4)),
questions are used to control the progress of the interactions that occur during a
lesson (Elis in Sujariati et al., 2016). The purpose of the English teacher's
questions to students is to check their understanding, test them, and encourage
them to speak comfortably (Blosser in design et al., 2017). Blosser (1975–2000)
identifies four types of questions: 1) A managerial issue to keep the classroom
running smoothly. Managerial questions are used to guide students to the correct
answer. Managerial questions guide students to the next exercise. This can be
accomplished by assessing their readiness, determining if they have the
appropriate tools, or requesting that they take action. 2) Rhetorical concerns to
emphasize a point or to support an idea or statement. The response can be a
lengthy explanation or simply a confirmation. 3) Closed-ended questions To test

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the retention of previously learned information, to concentrate thinking on a
specific point or set of commonly held ideas. 4) Unanswered questions to start
discussions or student interaction; to stimulate student thinking; to give students
the freedom to hypothesize, speculate, and share ideas about potential activities,
and so on.
This study is similar to Yani Mutia Putri's (2019) study, which was "an
analysis of the teacher's questioning skills in teaching English at Sman 1 Kubu."
The method used in this study and the previous one are similar, namely
descriptive qualitative. The research objective distinguishes the researcher's thesis
from previous research. The previous study concentrated on the teacher's
questioning abilities when teaching English, whereas this study concentrated on
the types of questions asked by English teachers. As a result, the purpose of this
study is to provide answers to the following research questions: 1) What types of
teachers' questions strategies are used in teaching English at MA Mualimin NWDI
Pancor in academic year 2021-2022? 2) What types of teachers' questions
strategies are dominant in teaching English at MA Mualimin NWDI Pancor in
academic year 2021-2022? 3)What is the dominant question used based on
learning phase at MA Mualimin NWDI Pancor in academic year 2021-2022.

2. METHOD
This research is a case study, based on characteristics. A case study is
essentially an in-depth examination of a person or group that is perceived to be
experiencing a specific scenario (Juliansyah, 2016; Stoecker, 1991; Flyvbjerg,
2011). The cases of this research were teacher’s question types. The data was not
provided numerically but rather in the form of words or images. The design of this
research is descriptive and qualitative. It is a systematic, subjective approach that
will be used to describe life experiences and give them meaning. . Descriptive
research is a type of research that seeks to accurately describe existing events
(Atmowardoyo, 2018; Ekawati, 2019; Aanstoos, 1983). This study employed a
qualitative approach, which means that the information gathered was not
numerical but rather derived from field notes, video recordings, and observations.

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This study was conducted in the classroom, and the goal was to collect data
descriptively. It describes classroom phenomena such as conversations between
teachers and students while they ask and answer questions.
2.1 Participant
The sample in this study is three English teachers from MA Muallimin
NWDI Pancor, and the sampling method is purposive sampling. Based on
specific population characteristics, the researcher selects people who are
thought to understand the problem under investigation (Mujere, 2016;
Arikunto, 2019; Sugiyono, 2012). The researcher used eleventh-grade teachers
with more than ten years of experience in this study.
2.2 Data Collection
Classroom observation techniques are used by the researcher. In this
case, observations were made directly in the classroom by visiting MA
Mualimin NWDI Pancor and observing the learning process. Researchers'
observations are non-participant observations (Sugiyono, 2011, p. 204;
Ciesielska et al., 2018). Using a video recorder in the classroom, the
researcher can collect data from the real situation in the classroom. The
observer's role in the observation process is solely that of a participant. The
findings showed the class recorded and took notes to collect data.
2.3 Data Analysis
The analysis of qualitative research data is divided into three steps:
data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification ( Miles and
Huberman, 1994; Mezmir, 2020). Data reduction entails summarizing and
selecting the most important information. As a result, the reduced data will
provide a clearer picture, making it much easier for the researcher to obtain
additional data. There is a systematic amount of data from which conclusions
and actions can be drawn. The next step is to display the data after it has been
reduced. Data presentation in qualitative research can take the form of brief
descriptions, charts, relationships between categories, flow charts, and so on.
It may be easier to understand what is going on if the data is displayed. The
final stage involves drawing conclusions and verifying the meaning of each

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 phenomenon. During the analysis process, conclusions are validated.
Verification may be stated briefly based on field notes or elaborated with
arguments.

3 RESULTS
1. The types of questions that the English teacher used during the classroom
interaction
Table 1
The Total Number Of Types Of Questions
Teachers
NO Types of Question Total Percentage
1 2 3
I Managerial Questions 1 3 3 7 11.86%
2 Rhetorical Questions 7 7 3 17 28.81%
3 Closed Questions 5 6 5 16 27.11%
4 Open Questions 8 6 5 19 32.75%
Total 21 22 16 59 100%

The researcher discovered 59 questions used by the teacher in class XI.

The researcher created findings in class XI-BAHASA 1 at MA Mualimin
NWDI Pancor on Sunday, May 22, 2022, from 8.15–9.15 WITA. The total
number of questions asked by the teacher was 21. Only one managerial
question, seven rhetorical questions, five closed questions, and eight open
questions were used by the first teacher. The researcher conducted
observational data in class XI-AGAMA 1 MA Mualimin NWDI Pancor on
Tuesday, May 24th, 2022, from 8.15-9.15 WITA. The total number of
questions asked by the teacher was 22. The second teacher uses three
managerial questions, seven rhetorical questions, six closed questions, and six
open questions as examples. On Wednesday, May 25th, 2022, researchers
observed the third object in class XI-IPA 2 MA, Mualimin NWDI Pancor.
The total number of questions asked by the teacher was 16. So the three
teachers used seven questions (11.86%), seventeen rhetorical questions
(28.81%), sixteen closed questions (27.11%), and nineteen open questions
(32.75%).

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2. The dominant type of teachers’ questioning strategies used during the
classroom interaction
Chart 1
The Total Number Of Types Of Questions

20 19
18 17
16
16
14
12
10
8 7
6
4
2
0
Managerial Rhetorical Closed Open
Questions Questions Questions Questions

The most common questions asked by English teachers are open-ended.

Three English teachers asked a total of eighteen open questions. The first
teacher is asked eight questions, the second teacher six questions, and the
third teacher four questions. Teachers are more likely to use open questions
because they can stimulate students to think at a higher level. Furthermore,
open questions allow students to express their opinions based on what they
understand while remaining within the context of the learning material. The
most common questions asked by English teachers are open-ended. Three
English teachers asked a total of eighteen open questions. The first teacher is
asked eight questions, the second teacher six questions, and the third teacher
four questions. Teachers are more likely to use open questions because they
can stimulate students to think at a higher level. Furthermore, open questions
allow students to express their opinions based on what they understand while
remaining within the context of the learning material.

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3. The dominant question used by English teachers based on learning phase
Table 2
The dominant questions based on learning phase

Learning Teachers To
Times Type of questions
Activities 1 2 3 tal

3 managerial questions
Open 1 rhetorical questions
10 minutes 7 3 5 15
activity 0 closed questions
11 open questions
3 managerial questions
Main 16 rhetorical questions
70 mnutes 12 17 10 38
activity 12 closed questions
7 open questions
0 managerial questions
Closed 0 rhetorical questions
10 minutes 2 2 1 5
activity 4 closed questions
1 open questions

Total of questions 21 22 16 59

Based on the results of the analysis of the types of questions based on

class interaction, the learning activity lasts approximately 90 minutes. The
learning activities were divided into three sections by the researcher: the first
ten minutes of the opening activity; the next 70 minutes of the main activity;
and the final ten minutes of the closing activity. In the first ten minutes, the
first teacher asked seven questions, the second three questions, and the third
five questions. In the main activity, the first teacher asked twelve questions,
the second seventeen questions, and the third ten questions. During the
closing activity, the first teacher asked two questions, the second two, and the
third one. So, in the opening activity, the three teachers asked a total of
fifteen-nine questions. In the opening activity, the teacher asks three

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 managerial questions, one rhetorical question, and eleven open questions, as
shown in the table. The teacher asked three managerial questions, sixteen
rhetorical questions, twelve closed questions, and seven open questions
during the main activity. In the closed activity, the teacher asks four closed
questions and one open question.

4 DISCUSSION
1. The dominant type of teachers’ questioning strategies in the English
classroom interaction
According to observations, the most common type of question used by
English teachers is open questions, with 19 questions. Open-ended questions
allow students to express their opinions based on what they understand while
remaining within the scope of the learning material. Because open questions
do not have "correct" answers, students can provide lengthy responses. Rafika
Yunion Putri (2019) conducted a study in which the dominant teacher used
managerial and open-ended questions to stimulate lively class discussions;
instructors rarely asked open questions during class and to check students'
focus in class during the teaching-learning process, as well as to check to
understand. Rafika also believes that open-ended questions are more
prevalent because they are beginning questions in class related to classroom
management and activities in class where students only listen to and answer
assignments.
According to Blosser (1979), rhetorical questions and open questions
are the most commonly used types of questions by English teachers. English
teachers ask rhetorical questions. This type of question is used to highlight or
strengthen an idea or statement. This type of question does not require an
answer, implying that the teacher will respond to the student's questions.
Students can use higher-order thinking to answer open-ended questions.
Students are interested in answering open questions because they can
answer them using their knowledge and opinions. The English teacher asks
some questions to elicit responses from the students based on the topic.

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 According to Harlen in Sutriningsih (2014), open questions can encourage
students to speak up and provide as much information as possible. Open
questions are used to stimulate discussion or student interaction, stimulate
students' thinking, allow for freedom of expression, and share ideas. Open
questions are also used to keep students focused on the material while they
ask numerous questions. As a result, it can be concluded that rhetorical and
open questions can dominate the class more than managerial questions
because managerial questions are only used for compiling and organizing
class assignments.
2. The dominant question used by English teachers based on learning phase
According to the findings, the dominant question in the open activity is
an open question based on the learning phase. The role of questions in helping
students learn new material and integrate it with old material is the focus of
this section. Questions at the start of class can motivate students to learn more
and pique their interest in the ongoing lesson (Eble, 1988). Open questions,
according to Kwon et al. (2006), "are effective in encouraging students'
creativity because they allow students to apply strategies in finding a variety
of possible new answers." This means that the purpose of these questions is
not only to check students' correct answers but also to emphasize the teacher's
emphasis on student understanding, ideas issued to answer questions, and
problem-solving. According to (Kusmiyati and Rukmini, 2018), "open-ended
questions that encourage students to produce many answers also challenge
teachers to think quickly about what they should do to solve the problem." In a
study conducted by Rafika Yunion Putri (2019), the dominant teacher used
open questions as introductory/opening questions in class related to classroom
management and activities in class that only listened to and responded to
assignments. Students are interested in answering open questions because they
can answer them using their knowledge and opinions
The dominant question-based in the learning phase is a rhetorical
question, and there are thirty-eight questions in the main activity. According to
Eble (1988), students perform better on items that have previously been asked

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as recitation questions than on items to which they have never been exposed.
In the main activity, the teacher provides material, then assigns tasks, and
finally asks students what information they gleaned from the material to assess
students' comprehension. Teachers should also ask more questions during the
main activity, because teacher-asked questions can increase students' full
participation in the learning process. Furthermore, the teacher's questions
pique students' interests and prompt them to seek answers. According to
Ewing and Whittington (2007), only 13.4% of the questions asked by the
instructor were open-ended. Almost half of the questions asked by teachers
were managerial or rhetorical (45%), with 41.6% being closed. This means
that rhetorical questions can be just as useful as managerial ones. The question
can control the class. Students are more interested in answering rhetorically
because they can correctly answer questions. According to Rafika Yunion
Putri (2019), rhetorical questions require students to think critically to answer
questions based on the material. In the main activity, questioning is very
effective in producing results. It gains more than simply instructing students
without questioning them.
The dominant question in the closed activity is based on the learning
phase. It is frequently used by teachers because determining student
understanding, assessing student learning outcomes, testing student input, and
evaluating both the quality of teacher teaching and the teaching and learning
process, whether it is going well or not, are all important. The teacher uses
remembering questions and referential questions to assess students'
comprehension in this section (Eble, 1988). Closed questions predominate in
class closing activities because they have only right or wrong answers and
only one correct answer (Muir, 2009; Kwon, O. N., Park, J. H., & Park, 2006).
Closed questions are used to assess the memorability of previously taught
information and to direct thought to a specific subject or set of ideas. In the
conclusion, there are questions because the teachers or students reached
conclusions about the important points in the learning activities.

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 5 CONCLUSION
The eleventh-grade English teacher asks a variety of questions. The
researcher discovered that the three English teachers used 59 different types
of questions. There were 7 managerial questions, 17 rhetorical questions, 16
closed questions, and 19 open questions. Open questions with 19 questions
are the most common type of question used by English teachers. Open
questions allow students to express their opinions based on what they
understand while remaining within the context of the learning material. While
the dominant question is used based on the learning phase, it is specifically in
the main activities with 38 questions. During the main activity, the teacher
asks more questions to ensure that interaction and discussion in class run
smoothly and that learning objectives are met.

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