What: Questioning the Author (QtA) is a comprehensive reading strategy that allows the teacher and students to pose queries to gain greater understanding of a text.

Who: QtA is recommended for grades 3-5 and 6-8, but it can be used at all grade levels when modified.

When: This strategy should be used DURING reading. QtA can be used for one-on-one, small group, or whole group instruction.

Why: The purpose of QtA is to guide the students in actively engaging in the process of reading, so they may be able to build meaning. QtA encourages collaborative discussion, utilization of strategies that proficient readers use, and promoting an active search for meaning.

How: To begin QtA, the teacher selects an interesting passage that can create good conversation, identifies the major ideas of the text and any potential problems that may arise while trying to acquire meaning. The teacher will then choose stopping points where students need to dig deeper into the text to gain greater understanding. For each stopping point, the teacher creates questions which will encourage critical thinking.

EX: What is the author trying to say? Why do you think the author used the following phrase? Does this make sense to you?

The teacher facilitates the discussion and guides the students towards finding meaning. Initially, the teacher will create most of the questions, but the goal is to get students to form questions and facilitate discussion.