ERIC Number: ED188768
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1980-May
Pages: 18
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Does Anyone Have Any Questions?
Finkelstein, Judith M.; Ritter, Virginia F.
The purpose of this study was to determine if answering a child's question with a question produces further analytical questioning by the child. A sample of 80 children in nursery-kindergarten, first, second and third grades (ages ranging from 4-9 years) were divided into two groups. An abstract painting by Kandinsky was shown individually to each child. Children were told, "Look at this picture and tell me what you wonder about it." Group A children's responses were followed by questions from the interviewer. Children in Group B were not given questioning replies, but were responded to with positive statements. All subjects were the interviewer's past or present students. Findings indicate that, in comparison to positive replies, a teacher's questioning reply to a child's question does not produce increases in children's questioning behavior. Apparently, age is a factor, not only in children's ability to ask questions, but also in their ability to understand what a question is. A relationship between the responses of the interviewer and the level of the child's questions was found. When the interviewer replied to the child's question with a question, the child responded with a higher level question. Subjects who had younger siblings and whose mothers had been home during the subjects' first two years asked more questions than did other children. Black children tended to make more responses than did others. (Author/RH)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A