Language Strategy #2: Asking Open-Ended Questions

STRATEGY # 2:

Asking open-ended questions:  This is something people do all the time, but being aware of the positive language implications can help us to be more cognizant of how and when we use this strategy throughout the day.  An open-ended question is simply a question that allows the receiver to respond in a variety of different ways, thus providing increased opportunities to use rich language.  For example, asking, “Is the bear blue?” can only lead to 2 responses (yes or no).  Asking, “What color is the bear?” allows for practice with a more varied response and even better, “What does the bear look like?” provides a wonderful opportunity for using new language. 

LESSON PLAN: 

Objective: Students will use 3-4 word phrases and sentences to answer questions about a story.

Strategy: Asking open-ended questions with visual supports.

Activity: Facilitated by the speech-language pathologist, students will read the interactive storybook, Jack and the Beanstalk, and answer open-ended questions using 3-4 word phrases and sentences.   Although the dancing egg on each page can become a bit annoying, the kids LOVE this story.  There is enough complexity for this to be challenging for most of my students with language delays and engaging enough for the youngest of them.  For the older kids we focus mostly on inferential questions, “Why do you think…?” and for the younger ones, simple open-ended questions like, “Where is Jack going?”