TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF QUESTIONING AS PRE-TEACHING STAGE IN GENERAL ENGLISH CLASSES

Abstract

Research into questioning, a form of inquiry to engage students in active and purposeful responses has witnessed its crucial role in teaching English as a foreign or second language. In particular, questioning, from the Socratic philosophy, is an interactive process that involves student thinking and communication of ideas and knowledge for effective learning. However, teacher questioning has not received much attention in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom context in higher education in Vietnam. Moreover, classroom questioning and teachers’ perceptions of this instructional practice facilitating students’ higher-order skills in non-English majored classes remained scarce. This study therefore examines such perceived use of questioning within non-English majored classes at tertiary context. This paper focuses on the interview data, which explored how seven teachers perceived their respective use of questioning related to active learning of students in General English classes. The findings reveal how teachers perceived questioning as effective in several ways. The findings extend the literature on questioning strategies by providing insightful views into how teachers used questions to promote active learning of students, tailor their existing practices, and make informed decision-making processes for their future undertakings. The paper concludes by presenting implications for teachers and students for the quality instruction and professional growth.

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