Self-Questioning

**Self-Questioning Strategy**

**Content** Self-questioning strategy for social studies

**Grade Level** 7-12

**Curriculum Standards** The following CSOs could be used in an 8th grade classroom. They would be great to use when students are learning new information and will need to use self-questioning while reading/researching. SS.O.08.05.02: compare and contrast the motives, incentives and settlement patterns of the French and English explorers and settlers on the western frontier. SS.O.08.05.03: point out characteristics of various Native American cultures in West Virginia from the pre-Columbian period to the arrival of Europeans SS.O.08.05.07:research and construct the sequence of events and cite the reasons for and resulting consequences of conflicts and wars that led to the formation of West Virginia as a state. (e.g., French and Indian War, American Revolution, Civil War). SS.O.08.05.08:interpret facts about West Virginia and other areas from various types of charts, graphs, maps, pictures, models, timelines and primary sources (e.g. letters, journals and publications) and summarize what you have learned.

**Description of Practices** Self-questioning is very important for all students to do while reading text and learning about new information. It becomes especially important when students who struggle are learning unfamiliar information. Reading and understanding the text is important in all subject areas, and in order for students to be successful in subjects like social studies, they will need strategies to learn and understand the information! The strategy that I am going to tell you about was developed at the Kanas University Center for Research and Learning and was used to assist secondary-level students with learning disabilities in comprehending and remembering important information presented in content area textbooks. It focuses on teaching students how to generate questions about important information in a passage, predict answers, search for the answers while reading, and talk to themselves about the answers by using the mnemonic, "ASK IT". The ASK IT steps are as follows: 1. __**A**__ttend to the clues as you read 2. __**S**__ay some questions 3. //**K**//eep predictions in mind 4. //**I**//dentify the answer 5. //**T**//alk about the answers

**Implementation Considerations** This strategy could be used in any setting whether it be inclusion or pull out. I would definitely take the time to teach the ASK IT strategy to students with learning disabilities one on one before having them use the strategy independently or in their inclusive settings. Keep in mind that in order for self-questioning strategies to be effective for students who struggle with reading, it is important that teachers provide modeling, direct coaching, prompting, and guidance. Another key element to keep in mind with this strategy is to teach students to stop and question themselves before, during, and/or after reading. If your students are successful with this strategy, consider using it not only in Social Studies but other subjects as well!

**Example** In this example, the teacher is using the ASK IT strategy for self-questioning with her student: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTUYkloJrsM

This is a great example of how to use self-questioning in social studies successfully: http://cehs.unl.edu/csi/Pdfs/selfquest.pdf

**Citation** Berkeley, S., Marshak, L., Mastropieri, M., & Scruggs, T. (2011). Improving student comprehension of social studies text: A self-questioning strategy for inclusive middle school classes. //Remedial and Special Education//, //32//(2), 105-113.