Do you know how to use QAR (question and response) questions when exploring a text with students?
Let me show you how I use QAR and retells to help students to think critically about a text and ensure reader comprehension.
Using the text Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker, a picture book, students can explore visual comprehension with QAR. You can watch a video on how to use this reading strategy here but it's a nice and easy approach to use with young students.
There are four types of questions in the QAR reading strategy:
RIGHT THERE
The answer is right there in the text.
THINK AND SEARCH
The answer is in the text but it's not obvious, you will need to look for implied meaning.
AUTHOR AND ME
The answer is not in the text but you need to think about the author's point of view and your point of view about this topic.
ON MY OWN
The answer is not in the text but you will need to use your own understanding about this issue to consider an answer.
One of the reasons I love this reading strategy so much is its simplicity! Students also love trying to figure out what is a 'right there' question and what is a 'think and search'. Sometimes it's good to give them a answer and reverse it, by getting them to name the type of question that would go with that answer!
Here is how I use QAR with Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker.
I also level the questions by taking them higher and deeper for higher level kids such as:
QAR is particularly useful for moving learners up or down in the hierarchical scale of thinking, another reason I love it so much!
You'll find these sheets, retells and many more activities for the book in this pack here.
