2。2。2 Characteristics of effective classroom questions

In the view of Edmondson (1984), questions can be directed to an inpidual, the whole class or students of different levels。 Hence, while designing questions, teachers are supposed to take the learning levels and needs of different students into consideration so that the questions could get different students involved。 Glatthorn (1993) also put forward similar ideas。 He holds that teacher should improve the question difficulty to enable students to achieve the expected goals while expanding the thinking depth。

Gall (1970) regards the explicit question expression of teachers as a very important element for the effectiveness of questioning。 The question expression of teachers will influence the understanding of students to teachers' questions and the quality of students' answers。 

Morgan and Saxton (1991:78-79) summarize the common characteristics as follows。 First, an effective question should include demonstration of a genuine curiosity。 Second, it must has an inner logic connected in some way with teachers' focus and students' experiences。 Third, the words in an effective question are supposed to be organized in such a way that the thinking is clarified both for students and teachers。 In addition, it would be advocated if the question can challenges existing thinking and encourages reflection。

In conclusion, the valid questions must be designed attentively by teachers。 Besides checking the understanding of students, the questions should make students gain the confidence and pleasure in language learning。 More importantly, students are enabled to promote their overall language competence。

2。2。3 Functions of effective questioning

Lu (2005) once wrote the article about the effectiveness of class questioning and the evaluation methods and he thinks that effective questioning can promote students’ development of cognition, that questioning can control teaching process and get feedback, and that questioning can promote students’ emotional and social development。 Fang (2014) talks about four points in her article on questioning as follows: causing motivation, start thinking, checking the teachers’ teaching effects and sudden comprehending。 来,自,优.尔:论;文*网www.youerw.com +QQ752018766-

Zhang and Huang (2001) think that questioning has the following functions: checking and evaluating students’ reading comprehension; causing students’ curiosity and interest; helping students organize and analyze the information provided by the reading material and helping them understand it correctly and clearly; helping students sum up, review and strengthen what they have learned; urging the students to improve comprehension qualities at different cognition layers, making the class atmosphere vivid to offer opportunities for teachers and students to dialog and communicate mutually; making the purpose of reading more clear。 

All in all, questioning is an important part for teachers-students and students-students to communicate。 Not only can it arouse students attention and interest but also enlighten their minds。 Therefore, it should be placed at the center of effective teaching。