Impact of Referential Questions on Students’ Oral Participation and Academic Performance in English

Referential questions are designed to elicit open-ended responses, allowing students to express their understanding in a way that is meaningful to them. This paper investigates the impact of the teachers’ use of referential questions on the students’ oral participation and academic performance in an English class. Using a quasi-experimental research design, the study investigated the Grade 10 students’ level of oral involvement in terms of frequency and fluency. It used a researcher-made oral participation rubric and class records to gather the necessary data. The study’s results revealed improved student oral participation after the teacher consistently used referential questions. Additionally, an increase in the student’s grades in English was also seen in the class record after one grading period of using referential questions in the classroom. Finally, the statistical data showed a positive relationship between the students’ frequency of oral participation and academic performance in English but no direct correlation between the quality of their oral participation and their academic performance in English. This study recommends that teachers incorporate referential questions regularly in English classes to enhance students’ oral participation and engagement.