Changing Perspectives on Questions to be Asked in Japanese High School EFL Reading Class

Abstract

This article casts doubt on the current tendency of high school English language teachers to ask questions which require the understanding of the meaning of passages (i.e. comprehension questions) in reading classes. The author concedes that the tendency has not emerged without reason; it is in accordance with the communicative orientation of the English language teaching in Japanese schools in that those questions are intended to direct learners' attention to the content or message that the text carries. However, those questions are based on the specific content of a particular text, and thus less likely to help the students acquire generalizable linguistic skills applicable to different texts. In seeking alternative ways of question making, the author refers to the teaching of Japanese as the first language as an advanced model in terms of its primary focus on language, as observed in the national course of study. Based on the implications from Japanese language teaching, the author proposes a distinction between content questions and form questions, and he argues that the latter is more effective in developing students' generalizable linguistic skills. A report from a reading class which utilized form questions supports the case for varying question types in teaching reading.