Abstract

This study examines the effect of questions on fostering interaction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. It also seeks to determine the characteristics of questions that promote increased classroom interaction. Data were collected through video recordings of EFL classrooms which were analyzed using Discourse Analysis techniques. Participants in the study are consisted of a group of intermediate-level English students at the English Language Institute (ELI) of a Saudi Arabian university. First, participating classes were video-recorded and the data gathered was transcribed. The questions asked in each class were then divided into two groups: questions that were deemed to promote classroom interaction and questions that failed to create classroom interaction. Finally, the defining features of each group of questions were determined. Results showed a correlation between the questions’ characteristics and the creation of classroom interaction. In other words, some question types significantly improved classroom interaction while others failed to do so.

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