Ask and Answer Questions Teaching Strategies

Asking and answering questions may seem like a simple skill, but it is essential to building a strong foundation for our students’ reading comprehension skills. This fundamental standard focuses on students’ capacity to pose relevant questions, locate answers within the text, and develop responses with accuracy and clarity. In this blog post, we will work to fully understand the “Ask & Answer” standard through deconstruction, explore effective ways to scaffold lessons for diverse learners, delve into the benefits of guided practice and modeling, and discuss how to assess skill mastery without solely relying on comprehension levels. Let’s master this building block reading standard and empower our students as confident and critical readers.

Fully Understanding the Standard

The “Ask & Answer” standard is multifaceted and contains several key skills. Deconstructing the standard enables us to gain a comprehensive understanding of its features and design targeted instructional plans. The primary elements of this standard include:

1. Critical Thinking: Actively engaged thinking while reading texts and stories.
2. Question Formation: Ask thoughtful and purposeful questions that enhance their comprehension skills and help them explore the text more deeply.
3. Answer Retrieval: Practicing effective strategies to locate answers within the text, promoting independent reading, and fostering a sense of self-efficacy.
4. Comprehension of Text: Demonstrating an understanding of the reading material.

Helpful To-Dos for Deconstruction:

• Break down the standard into clear, measurable objectives.
• Identify specific questioning skills required for mastery.
• Analyze different question types to target.

The deconstructed Ask & Answer freebie is shown in the photo above. Click here to access yours!

I talk more about deconstructing standards in a video on my Elementary Nest channel. Click here to watch!

Ways to Scaffold the Standard and Lessons

Now that you’ve deconstructed your standard, consider its components. Think about where you can break apart this standard into smaller chunks.

Scaffolding is vital when introducing complex skills to our diverse learners. Providing necessary support empowers students to build their skills and achieve success. Here are some effective ways to scaffold the “Ask & Answer” standard and lessons:

1. Pre-Reading Strategies: Firstly, activate prior knowledge, preview the text, and set a purpose for reading to create a strong foundation for question formation and answer retrieval.
2. Graphic Organizers: Then, use graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts, brainstorm questions, and record key information.
3. Sentence Starters and Question Stems: Also, offer sentence starters or stems to support students in stating their responses with clarity and confidence.

Helpful To-Dos for Scaffolding:

• Teach new content & skills in whole-group mini-lessons.
• Use visual aids like anchor charts to reinforce question types and answer strategies. (More about these below).
• Differentiate instruction to accommodate various learning styles and readiness levels. This can be done through small-group instruction, differentiated leveled passages, and varied supports.
• Encourage peer collaboration to foster a supportive learning environment.

Making Your Mentor Texts Efficient & Effective

Mentor texts are effective tools in teaching the “Ask & Answer” reading standard. When chosen thoughtfully and used effectively, mentor texts can inspire students, model effective questioning techniques, and provide great opportunities for text-evidence questions.

Here are some strategies to make your mentor texts efficient and effective in promoting student engagement and skill development:

1. Intentional Text Selection: Choose high-interest books that align with your students’ preferences and reading levels. Look for texts that cover a range of genres and topics, as this diversity will broaden students’ exposure to different question types and answering strategies. Additionally, ensure that the selected texts are rich in content, offering ample opportunities for text-evidence questions.
2. Pre-Reading Preparation: Before introducing the mentor text, pre-read it to familiarize yourself with potential text-evidence questions. Flag the book with sticky notes containing ready-made questions, making it easier for you to guide discussions during the lesson. These pre-made questions will serve as valuable prompts to keep the conversation focused on the targeted skills.
3. Think-Alouds and Shared Reading: During shared reading, incorporate think-alouds to model your thought processes as you ask and answer questions. Demonstrate how to locate text evidence and formulate questions that deepen understanding. Encourage students to participate in the think-alouds, providing opportunities for them to share their questions and answers with the class.
4. Interactive Questioning: Engage students in interactive questioning by using discussion starters or question prompts such as “I wonder…” or “What if…”. These open-ended prompts encourage students to explore the text from multiple perspectives and foster critical thinking. Encourage students to ask questions of their own, promoting a dynamic and collaborative learning environment.
5. Text-Evidence Recording: Lastly, providing students with graphic organizers or notebooks to record their text-evidence questions and responses as they read the mentor text independently. Encourage them to use color-coded highlighting or sticky notes to mark specific sections of the text that support their answers.

I have a blog post on my favorite mentor texts for this standard. If you’d like to read it click here!

By making your mentor texts efficient and effective, you create an engaging and immersive learning experience for your students. Through intentional text selection, pre-reading preparation, think-alouds, interactive questioning, and text-evidence recording, students will develop their questioning and answer retrieval skills while connecting with literature on a deeper level. Mentor texts, when utilized strategically, become invaluable companions in your journey to empower students as confident and proficient readers.

Using Anchor Charts to Strengthen Foundation

Anchor charts are a powerful visual tool that can significantly enhance the teaching of any reading standard. By creating well-crafted anchor charts and integrating them into your lessons, you provide students with a clear reference point to reinforce and apply the skills learned. Here are some strategies for using anchor charts effectively to strengthen students’ foundation in the “Ask & Answer” standard:

Types of Anchor Charts:

• What is a Question/Question Vs. Statement Chart: A simple discussion starter at the beginning of your unit. Establish clear guidelines for what questions are.
• Types of Questions Chart: Create a chart that showcases different types of questions and provides examples for each.
• Question Formation Chart: Develop a chart that guides students in constructing effective questions, including question stems and sentence starters.
• Answer Retrieval Strategies Chart: Illustrate various strategies students can use to locate answers within the text, such as skimming, scanning, and using context clues.

Interactive anchor charts encourage active participation and reinforce student ownership of their learning. Strategies for Making Your Anchor Charts Interactive:

• Sticky Notes: Incorporate sticky notes on your anchor charts to allow students to add their own questions and answers as they engage with the text.
• Color-Coding: Use different colors to differentiate between question types and answer retrieval strategies, making the anchor chart visually appealing and easy to navigate.
• Question and Answer Flaps: Create flaps on the anchor chart that can be lifted to reveal the questions and answers hidden beneath, encouraging student interaction.

Things to Include on Your Anchor Charts:

• 5 W’s: Include the 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why) to reinforce the fundamentals of questioning and encourage a comprehensive understanding of the text.
• Beginning, During, After Method: Organize the anchor chart to show question types and answer retrieval strategies applicable before, during, and after reading, guiding students in the different stages of comprehension.
• Examples of Strong Questions: Provide students with exemplary questions that go beyond simple yes or no responses, prompting critical thinking and deep analysis of the text.

By incorporating anchor charts into your Ask & Answer reading instruction, you provide students with a constant visual reminder of the skills they are developing. These charts not only reinforce questioning and answer retrieval strategies but also serve as a valuable reference tool for independent reading and writing tasks. Interactive anchor charts, with their dynamic and engaging features, further deepen students’ involvement in their learning process, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment in their reading journey.

How Guided Practice and Modeling Can Improve Student Mastery

Guided practice and modeling will empower students to internalize skills and become proficient readers. By providing opportunities for practice and modeling, we offer students the chance to observe and emulate effective questioning and answering techniques. Some benefits of incorporating guided practice and modeling include:

1. Clear Expectations: Model strong questioning and answer retrieval strategies to set clear expectations for student performance.
2. Gradual Release of Responsibility: Guided practice allows students to practice skills with support before transitioning to independent application.
3. Reinforcement of Learning: Regular guided practice reinforces skill acquisition and helps students solidify their understanding.

Helpful To-Dos for Guided Practice and Modeling:

• Use think-alouds during modeling to make thought processes visible to students.
• Gradually decrease support during guided practice as students gain confidence.
• Provide constructive feedback during practice to foster growth and improvement.

A Fiction and Nonfiction Skill

The Ask & Answer reading standard is a fundamental skill that applies not only to fiction but also to nonfiction texts. It is crucial to guide students in developing this skill in both genres, as it lays the groundwork for strong comprehension and critical thinking abilities. When teaching the “Ask & Answer” standard, consider the following strategies to effectively address both fiction and nonfiction texts:

1. Teach Fiction First, Then Move to Nonfiction: Start by introducing the standard within the context of fiction texts. Fiction allows for imaginative exploration and emotional engagement, making it an accessible entry point for students. Once students grasp the concept in fiction, they can transition to nonfiction texts. Nonfiction challenges students to extract information from informative texts and apply their questioning skills to understand complex topics.
2. Focus on Text Evidence and Supporting Answers: Emphasize the importance of supporting answers with text evidence in both fiction and nonfiction texts. Encourage students to search for clues within the text to support their responses and to formulate questions that prompt them to look for specific details. In fiction, text evidence may involve character actions or dialogue, while nonfiction text evidence could be factual information, quotes, or data.

Helpful To-Dos for Teaching Fiction and Nonfiction Skills:

• Introduce fiction and nonfiction genres separately, highlighting their unique characteristics and purposes.
• Use graphic organizers to guide students in recording text evidence and organizing their thoughts when answering questions.
• Provide opportunities for students to compare and contrast question types and answer retrieval strategies between fiction and nonfiction texts.

By addressing both fiction and nonfiction texts in teaching the “Ask & Answer” standard, students develop a well-rounded skill set that enhances their comprehension and analysis abilities across various genres. Emphasizing text evidence and supporting answers ensures that students engage critically with the text and become proficient readers in both fictional narratives and informational writings. Empower your students to ask thoughtful questions and locate accurate answers, paving the way for a lifelong love of reading and learning.

How to Assess the Skill, Not the Comprehension Levels

Assessing this standard involves evaluating students’ ability to generate relevant questions, locate answers, and articulate responses effectively. To assess the skill rather than comprehension levels, consider the following strategies:

1. Questioning Rubrics: Develop rubrics that assess the quality and depth of students’ questions, focusing on their ability to apply various questioning techniques.
2. Performance Tasks: Assign performance tasks that require students to read a passage, generate questions, and locate answers independently.
3. Oral Response Assessments: Incorporate oral response assessments where students verbalize their answers, allowing you to evaluate their understanding and communication skills.

By fully understanding the “Ask & Answer” standard, scaffolding lessons for diverse learners, incorporating guided practice and modeling, and assessing the skill effectively, we can effectively equip our students with valuable reading comprehension skills. Empowering them to pose relevant questions, locate answers within the text, and articulate responses with precision will foster their growth as confident and critical readers. With intentional instruction and ongoing support, we can guide our students toward mastering this building block reading standard and preparing them for success in their academic journeys.

Want ready-to-go activities for your Ask and Answer Questions instruction?

Check out these Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade units in my Elementary Nest shop!

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FREE ASK & ANSWER DECONSTRUCTED STANDARDS PRINT-OUTS

Grab the pre-made deconstructed standards for Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade here! This will help you fully understand each standard while you’re planning your instructional unit.

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• Organizing Mentor Texts
• Mastering Weekly ELA Planning
• Interactive Tools for Nonfiction Reading