Nature of the Research Data Setting and Sources

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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This section describes the methodology used regarding the types of teachers’ questions and students’ responses in the EFL classroom to carry out the study. It also provides a brief description of the participants, the procedures used to collect the data through classroom videotaping, and questionnaires. Hence, an exploratory approach of data collection is used.

A. Nature of the Research

This study employs qualitative techniques to what types of questions are used in EFL classes and to what extent they are used. The main data was gathered from the videotaping of 2 student teachers. The data is the document of teachers’ talk includes the questions being asked by the teachers during the lesson. I adopted a classroom process research because it “is concerned with the careful description of the interpersonal events which take place in the classroom as a means of developing understanding about how instruction and learning take place” Ellis, 1990. The purpose is to study a teacher’s questions in ESL classrooms, and classroom process research aims at documenting the events that take place in an ESL classroom. I observed and explored how teachers in junior high school in Soe ask questions in ESL classrooms and keep records of events to enhance my understanding of how teachers and learners “accomplish classroom lessons” Gaies, 1983, as cited in Nhlapo, 2008. Therefore, I used a qualitative research as the method of inquiry to investigate my concerns. In order to fulfill the objectives of the study, which are to assess the types of teachers’ questions and the function of each type of question as well as the 29 responses that students give during the questioning session, data from the observed lessons and the videotaping of teachers’ talk are analyzed. In addition to that, the questionnaire method is used as a triangulation of the research.

B. Data Setting and Sources

The setting of this research was at Public Middle School 2 in Soe, which was located in South Central Timor Regency. There are several reasons to conduct the study at this school. First, the school is one of the best schools in Soe, since it is a pioneer school that has acceleration classes. Second, I know the school, its organization, and the students. So I will have considerable advantages with regards to access, entry, and establishment of my role. I want to use that knowledge, but at the same time set aside my preconceptions and stereotypes in order to understand what happens in the EFL classroom in this specific context. Third, considering the time limit, I have decided to conduct the study in the school. However, I am also aware of the fact that my familiarity with the place might influence me in the way I carry out the research and might lead me to take some of the things at school for granted. The research was conducted on 2 nd year students of Public Middle School 2 in Soe. There are seven classes in the second year of this middle school, but I was only recording four classes: A, B, D, and E. Each class will be recorded twice and the recording last for 90 minutes. The participants of this study were two English teachers and the students of the setting above. The reason for choosing these classes was because the teachers are available and willing to be my participants. One teacher has been teaching for 10 years, another one for 5 years. 30

C. Data Collection Instruments