Comprehension Assignment
Lakesha McInnis
Liberty University
EDUC302-D02
Reflection
The Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) strategy is one that I am less familiar with and
have not used frequently in my instruction. This strategy helps students identify where to find
answers to questions based on the relationship between the text and their own thinking.
According to Birsh and Carreker (2018), the QAR framework includes four types of questions:
Right There (explicitly stated in the text), Think and Search (answers found across multiple parts
of the text), Author and Me (inference-based questions), and On My Own (answers requiring
prior knowledge). Teaching students to recognize these relationships improves comprehension
by guiding them to think strategically when answering questions.
To incorporate the QAR strategy into a current unit, I would apply it during a reading
lesson on a narrative text, such as Charlotte’s Web. For a student struggling with
comprehension, I would introduce the strategy explicitly, explaining the four question types and
modeling how to identify each one using a passage. For example, I might ask a Right There
question like, “What is
Wilbur’s main problem in this chapter?” or a Think and Search question such as, “How do
Charlotte’s actions help Wilbur over time?”
In a lesson or intervention plan, I would implement the QAR strategy in three steps. First,
I would provide a short passage and model identifying the types of questions. Second, I would
guide students through answering a mix of questions, categorizing each as Right There, Think
and Search, Author and Me, or On My Own. Finally, students would practice independently
using QAR with teacher-prepared comprehension questions.
To reinforce this strategy through a writing activity, I would ask students to develop their
own questions based on the QAR categories after reading a passage. For instance, they could
write one question for each category and answer them using evidence from the text or their
own knowledge. This approach was designed to help students label the type of questions being
asked and then, as they considered both the text and their prior knowledge before they
answered a question, use this information to assist them in formulating answers (Birsh &
Carreker, 2018, (p. 627). Incorporating the QAR strategy encourages struggling readers to
approach texts with intention, enhancing their ability to locate information, infer meaning, and
connect prior knowledge to the content.
Description of Response
The activity described in the Reflection section applies the Question-Answer Relationship
(QAR) strategy by guiding students to recognize different types of questions and where to locate
the answers. This process directly addresses the issues of struggling readers who often lack the
skills to comprehend texts effectively. By explicitly teaching students to identify whether
answers are located directly in the text (Right There), require information from multiple parts of
the text (Think and Search), or involve prior knowledge and inference (Author and Me and On
My Own), the activity equips students with tools to navigate and interact meaningfully with
texts. For struggling readers, this structured approach reduces confusion and enhances their
ability to engage with reading material systematically.
Evidence from Chapter 16 of Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills (Birsh &
Carreker, 2018) supports the effectiveness of the QAR strategy. The chapter emphasizes that
QAR helps students develop metacognitive awareness by teaching them to analyze questions
and approach reading tasks strategically. For example, when students can identify a Right There
question, they are able to focus their attention on locating specific details in the text. This
reduces frustration for struggling readers who might otherwise guess at answers. Similarly,
Think and Search questions teach students to synthesize information across multiple sentences
or paragraphs, strengthening their comprehension and recall.
The writing activity, where students generate their own questions using the QAR
framework, further reinforces the strategy’s benefits. Birsh and Carreker (2018) highlight the
importance of active participation in comprehension instruction, “After reviewing 17 studies on
question-answering instruction, the NRP (NICHD, 2000) noted student improvement both in
answering questions after reading passages and in strategies of finding answers.” By
encouraging students to create and answer questions, the activity provides meaningful
opportunities for them to apply the QAR strategy, improving their ability to interact with texts
independently.
This activity is particularly appropriate for struggling readers because it offers a
scaffolding, step-by-step approach to comprehension. It provides clear guidance on identifying
question types while gradually allowing students to take ownership of the process. Additionally,
it fosters critical thinking and confidence as students learn to ask and answer questions based
on their understanding of the text. By integrating the QAR strategy into lessons and writing
tasks, teachers can help struggling readers develop the skills necessary to become active and
skilled and comprehension skills.
References
Birsh, J. R., & Carreker, S. (2018). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills. Paul H.
Brookes Publishing Co.
