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Frontiers in Educational Research, 2024, 7(9); doi: 10.25236/FER.2024.070929.

Effective Teacher Questioning Perceived by EFL Learners in Chinese Universities and Its Relationship with Classroom Engagement

Author(s)

Wei Zhou

Corresponding Author:
Wei Zhou
Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Languages, Guangzhou Huashang College, Guangzhou, 511300, China

Abstract

The use of effective questioning by teachers is a key component in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) because it influences how students participate in classroom activities. However, the underlying mechanism between questioning and student engagement is underexplored. This research, which takes a sociocultural perspective, seeks to expand our understanding of what EFL students in Chinese universities consider to be effective teacher questioning and how it relates to their engagement in the classroom. A questionnaire was given to 1064 English learners at seven universities in China to find out their views on their English teachers' questioning techniques and how these techniques affect their engagement in learning. The findings indicated that the questioning contents, questioning ways and responding ways were seen as quite effective, but the questioning effect was seen as less so. Moreover, the study found that effective questioning by teachers had a strong influence on student engagement in the classroom. The content, methods, and effects of the teachers' questions were all linked positively to the students' level of engagement in learning English. These findings provide a deeper insight into what Chinese EFL students perceive as effective questioning and could help to enhance their engagement in learning.

Keywords

Sociocultural perspective; Effective teacher questioning; EFL learners; Student engagement

Cite This Paper

Wei Zhou. Effective Teacher Questioning Perceived by EFL Learners in Chinese Universities and Its Relationship with Classroom Engagement. Frontiers in Educational Research (2024) Vol. 7, Issue 9: 187-198. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2024.070929.

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