Complex Questions Promote Complex Thinking

Intermediate-grade teachers often express concerns about meeting the Common Core State Standards for Reading, primarily because of the emphasis on deep understanding of complex texts. No matter how difficult the text, if teachers demand little of the reading, student meaning making is not challenged. This article offers a tool for teachers to consider as they elevate their questioning of students to create situations where complex comprehension is expected. Using a continuum for categorizing teacher questions, the article suggests ways for teachers to reconsider their interactions with students around texts, focusing on high-level questioning that prioritizes the deep meaning making emphasized in the Common Core.