This is a free course demonstrating some of the key aspects of using ‘Blanks Levels Questioning’ to support language development and reading comprehension.
It is widely acknowledged that oral language is critical for literacy development and educational success. As early childhood teachers (and that includes parents!) we need to stimulate children’s oral language skills as the foundation for their own critical thinking and literacy development.
One way to do this is through a simple technique called ‘questioning’. Using the Blanks Levels of questions, you can take any book or adapt any situation to make it appropriate for your pupils’ age and stage of linguistic development, and facilitate their own thinking and language skills.
Marion Blank was a researcher who studied the language used by teachers in the classroom. She found that there were four different levels of questions used. Basic questions ask for simple, concrete information, whereas more complex questions ask for abstract information.
Key concepts covered include:
- The four different levels of questioning
- At what ages children develop these levels
- Strategies of how to move children from one level to the next
You will also gain access to our Blanks Levels programme which give you all the resources to need to support children using Blanks Levels
