English Language Arts and Reading.7.12.A

The student is expected to

generate student-selected and teacher-guided questions for formal and informal inquiry;

inquiry research TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

Group students according to related topics of interest. Use an essential question and allow them time to create their own question of study. Allow students to generate questions as a whole group or in pairs. Task students with generating their own guiding questions for an inquiry project.
 

Further Explanation

This assessment requires students to choose a topic of interest for research and make decisions about what questions they hope the research will answer.

Students should learn that informal and formal inquiries require different types of questions. Formal inquiries require an established process and typically include a specific goal, such as arriving at a new conclusion. For example, a formal inquiry into which literary genre is most popular might start by determining the size and sample criteria for a survey. An informal inquiry does not require the same complex processes as a formal inquiry. The goal of informal inquiry is often to gain context for something or begin exploring a new topic in a general way. For example, students investigating a simple topic, such reading habits among their peers, may generate questions such as “How many minutes per week do you spend reading?”
Students are expected to consider what they want to know about a topic and create questions that encourage investigation. Students should consider the general aspects of a topic (who, what, when, where, why, how) to create questions that narrow the focus of the inquiry. For instance, when researching an author, students might ask questions such as “Who influenced this writer? What topics does this author tend to focus on? When did this author begin publishing works?” Students should also identify opportunities for further inquiry after a discussion guided by a teacher either in a whole group or small group setting.

Research

Ferlazzo, L. (2017, November 20). Response: Using questions that 'position students as meaning makers.' [Opinion Classroom Q & A]. Education Week Teacher. Retrieved from blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2017/11/response_using_questions_that_position_students_as_meaning-makers.html

Summary: This is one blog in a series of five that focuses on using questions to engage students in the teaching and learning process. One of the general outcomes of the questioning process is to guide students to think deeply by analyzing, comparing, and synthesizing information instead of writing a static report of facts or information. Not only are students encouraged to ask questions, but teachers are provided specific strategies to improve their own questioning skills. The questioning both formal and informal.