Skip to main content
Log in

Understanding the Nature of Questioning and Teacher Talk Moves in Interactive Classrooms: a Case of Three South African Teachers

  • Published:
Research in Science Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There are two key categories of moves that drive interaction in science classrooms; initiating moves and rejoinders. Closed-ended initiating questions have always been associated with low student engagement and open-ended initiating questions with prolonged interaction in science classroom. In this paper, we report on a qualitative case study conducted in South Africa with three physical sciences teachers. The purpose of the study was to understand the nature of initiating and rejoinder moves and their effect in the science classrooms. We draw on a hybridised framework combining Analysing Teacher Moves (ATM) with teacher discursive moves. We present data that contradicts the claim that closed-ended initiating questions always lead to minimised interaction and that only open-ended initiating questions lead to prolonged interaction depending on the nature of rejoinders. We discuss the value of understanding this intricacy of teacher move patterns and its implications for teacher education and professional development of science teachers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aranda, M. L., Lie, R., Guzey, S. S., Makarsu, M., Johnston, A., & Moore, T. J. (2020). Examining teacher talk in an engineering design-based science curricular unit. Research in Science Education, 50(2), 469–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakhtin, M. (1981). The Dialogic Imagination. University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bansal, G. (2018). Teacher discursive moves: Conceptualising a schema of dialogic discourse in science classrooms. International Journal of Science Education, 40(15), 1891–1912.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buma, A., & Nyamupangedengu, E. (2020). Investigating teacher talk moves in lessons on basic genetics concepts in a teacher education classroom. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 24(1), 92–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y. C., Hand, B., & Norton-Meier, L. (2017). Teacher roles of questioning in early elementary science classrooms: A framework promoting student cognitive complexities in argumentation. Research in Science Education, 47(2), 373–405.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chin, C. (2007). Teacher questioning in science classrooms: Approaches that stimulate productive thinking. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(6), 815–843.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christodoulou, A., & Osborne, J. (2014). The science classroom as a site of epistemic talk: A case study of a teacher’s attempts to teach science based on argument. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(10), 1275–1300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cian, H., & Cook, M. (2018). Secondary science student teachers’ use of verbal discourse to communicate scientific ideas in their field placement classrooms. Research in Science Education, 50, 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Correnti, R., Stein, M. K., Smith, M., Scherrer, J., McKeown, M., Greeno, J., & Ashley, K. (2015). Improving teaching at scale: Design for the scientific measurement and development of discourse practice. In L. Resnick, C. Asterban, & S. Clarke (Eds.), Socializing intelligence through academic talk and dialogue (pp. 315–334). AERA.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Espinoza, F. (2020). Impact of guided inquiry with simulations on knowledge of electricity and wave phenomena. European Scientific Journal, 16(33), 1–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillies, R. M., Nichols, K., Burgh, G., & Haynes, M. (2014). Primary students’ scientific reasoning and discourse during cooperative inquiry-based science activities. International Journal of Educational Research, 63, 127–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunstone, R., Mulhall, P., & McKittrick, B. (2009). Physics teachers’ perceptions of the difficulty of teaching electricity. Research in Science education, 39(4), 515–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hancock, B. (2002). Trent focus for research and development in primary health care: An introduction to qualitative research. Book. University of Nottingham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, D. H. (1984). Teachers’ questions: Open, closed and half-open. Educational Research, 26(1), 46–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jelicic, K., Planinic, M., & Planinsic, G. (2017). Analyzing high school students’ reasoning about electromagnetic induction. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 13(1), 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juuti, K., Loukomies, A., & Lavonen, J. (2020). Interest in dialogic and non-dialogic teacher talk situations in middle school science classroom. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 18(8), 1531–1546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaya, S., Kablan, Z., & Rice, D. (2014). Examining question type and the timing of IRE pattern in elementary science classrooms. International Journal of Human Sciences, 11(1), 621–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kayima, F., & Jakobsen, A. (2020). Exploring the situational adequacy of teacher questions in science classrooms. Research in Science Education, 50(2), 437–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khoza, H. C., & Nyamupangedengu, E. (2018). Prompts used by biology lecturers in large lecture group settings to promote student interaction. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(3), 386–395.

  • Lee, J. A., & Kim, C. J. (2019). Teaching and learning science in authoritative classrooms: Teachers’ power and students’ approval in Korean elementary classrooms. Research in Science Education, 49(5), 1367–1393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, Y., & Kinzie, M. B. (2012). Teacher question and student response with regard to cognition and language use. Instructional Science, 40, 857–874.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Msimanga, A. (2016). Towards a dialogic discourse in a mathematics classroom: Opening and closing verbal interaction. In J. Adler, & A. Sfard (Eds.), Research for educational change: Transforming researchers' insights into improvement in mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 144–158). Routledge Publishers.

  • Mehan, H. (1979). “What time is it, Denise?”: Asking known information questions in classroom discourse. Theory into Practice, 18, 285–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaels, S., & O’Connor, C. (2013). Talk science primer. Cambridge. TERC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mortimer, E., & Scott, P. (2003). Meaning making in secondary science classrooms. Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Narjaikaew, P., Emarat, N., Arayathanitkul, K., & Cowie, B. (2010). Magnetism teaching sequences based on an inductive approach for first-year Thai university science students. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(5), 891–910.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira, A. W. (2010). Improving teacher questioning in science inquiry discussions through professional development. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 47(4), 422–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahayu, D. S., Hendayana, S., Mudzakir, A., & Rahmawan, S. (2020). Types and the role of teacher’s questions in science classroom practice. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 115(2), 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramnarain, U. (2011). Teachers’ use of questioning in supporting learners doing science investigations. South African Journal of Education, 31(1), 91–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reiser, B. J., Brody, L., Novack, M., Tipton, K., & Adams, L. S. (2017). Asking Questions. In C. V. Schwarz, C. Passmore, & B. J. Reiser (Eds.), Helping students make sense of the world using next generation science and engineering practices. Arlington: NSTA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tytler, R., & Aranda, G. (2015). Expert teachers’ discursive moves in science classroom interactive talk. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(2), 425–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hlologelo Climant Khoza.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khoza, H., Msimanga, A. Understanding the Nature of Questioning and Teacher Talk Moves in Interactive Classrooms: a Case of Three South African Teachers. Res Sci Educ 52, 1717–1734 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-021-10024-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-021-10024-8

Keywords

Navigation