The roles of teacher questioning in argument-based inquiry (ABI): Approaches that promote cognitive thinking and dialogical interaction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various questioning roles elementary teachers adopt to scaffold dialogical interaction, students' cognitive responses, and the use of evidence for constructing and critiquing ideas in argumentation over time. This study was designed as a follow-up study after a four-year professional development program that emphasized an argument-based inquiry approach. Data sources included 30 science lessons focusing on whole-class discussion from three early elementary teachers' classes. Data were analyzed through constant comparative method and enumerative approach. The findings indicated: (1) teachers used multiple roles in establishing argumentative discourse as they persistently implemented an argument-based inquiry approach, (2) as teachers used multiple roles in establishing patterns of questioning, framing classroom interaction, students' higher levels of cognitive thinking was promoted, and (3) as teachers' patterns of questioning changed, the frequency of students' talk increased and the dialogical interaction between students and teachers became more evidence-based and connected.