Questioning as a Window into Teachers’ Belief: Novice vs. Experienced CSL Teachers

This study examines Mandarin language teachers’ beliefs, focusing on how these beliefs shape their use of questioning to influence instructional practices and engage students. By analyzing questioning patterns, the research explores how teachers’ beliefs about language acquisition and learner autonomy are manifested in classroom dynamics, influence student-teacher interactions, and foster student engagement. Addressing a research gap in teacher-student interactions in Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) classrooms, the study specifically investigates questioning practices employed by teachers with varying levels of experience (Chen, 2011; Smart & Marshall, 2012; Al-Zahrani & Al-Bargi, 2017; Ong et al., 2016). Six novice and expert CSL teachers from the Mandarin training center of a public university in Taiwan, teaching across beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels, were recruited for analysis. Findings reveal that both groups of teachers significantly preferred particle and wh-questions, with expert teachers favoring display questions over novice teachers. Probing emerged as the most common questioning strategy, followed by repetition, decomposition, and redirecting. While both groups used questions to elicit factual information, expert teachers more frequently employed questioning to check comprehension and stimulate critical thinking. These practices reflect their beliefs in promoting student engagement and deeper learning. The study underscores how questioning strategies serve as indicators of teacher beliefs, shaping instructional choices and influencing classroom dynamics in CSL education.

Keywords

teacher beliefs, questioning, classroom interaction, Chinese as a second language

source

International Journal of Chinese Language Education; Jun 2025; Issue No. 17; p.1-39

Language

English