The Art of Asking: A Case Study of Teacher Questioning Strategies in Elementary EFL Classroom Interaction

Abstract

This qualitative case study investigates the questioning strategies employed by an elementary school English teacher in an EFL classroom and explores the pedagogical considerations underlying the selection of those strategies. Conducted at SD Islam Al-Azhar Sriwijaya, a private Islamic elementary school in Palembang, Indonesia, the study involved one English teacher with over two years of teaching experience. Data were collected through three classroom observations with video recordings and a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, and trustworthiness was established through member checking and methodological triangulation. The findings reveal that the teacher utilized three primary types of questions; procedural, convergent, and divergent along with six specific strategies: probing, redirecting, reinforcement, rephrasing, adjusting, and responding to student-initiated questions. Convergent questions were the most frequently used. The teacher's considerations in selecting these strategies encompassed six key aspects: stimulating and maintaining students' interest, encouraging critical thinking and focus, checking comprehension, eliciting target language structures, fostering participation, and managing classroom interaction. The study concludes that the strategic and varied use of questioning techniques creates an interactive and supportive learning environment for young EFL learners. Recommendations include balancing convergent questions with more divergent and probing questions to promote higher-order thinking and implementing cooperative learning strategies to address challenges in overcrowded classrooms.