TEACHER QUESTIONING IN CLASSROOM INTERACTION

Abstract

Questions play an important role in every classroomboth
students questions and teachers questions. The types of
question used by teacher can help students to lift their own
levels of understanding toward the concept given or even to
build up new ideas. The study explored (1) how eventually
teachers provide some ease to the students in creating an
interactive classroom interaction through questions and
answers exchanges; (2) how the questioning technique used by
the teachers might encourage the students to be active in
classroom interaction. By using Browns Interaction Analysis
System (BIAS) the data were analyzed in order to find out what
types of question were mostly used by the teachers during
teaching learning process in encouraging the students
activeness. The data were collected through observations in two
English classes in SMP N 2 Pekalongan with two different
English teachers. The data showed that the cognitive level of
teachers questions which mostly occurred was lower order
cognitive questions. The questions were aimed to invite the
learners to speak and deliver their ideas. Based on the observed
data, in details, the result showed that teachers used recall
questions for 52%, comprehension for 42% and application
occupied the remaining that was 6%. The target language was
usually used on several occasions such as praising, encouraging,
explaining and giving directions during the classroom
interaction. Therefore, the suggestions are given to the teacher
to understand practical uses of questioning techniques in
minimizingstudents barriers to speak up in English.