The main aim of the text is to provide the readers with appropriate knowledge on the importance of questioning within different types of communication. The key themes that I have identified throughout the text include; the importance of questioning, the advantages of questioning and how to be an effective communicator in todays society.
Within the document, Bolden (2009:122) noted that questions allow the questioner to control the conversation by ‘requesting the addressee to engage with a specific topic and/or perform a particular responsive action’. This statement demonstrates the importance of questioning within conversation in order to identify and analyse important information which may be needed for a particular reason. This may also open-up new doors of knowledge which the addressee may not have been willing to share.
Within this reading, it was stated that leading questions and open-ended questions should not be used when speaking to children. However, I disagree with this statement, to an extent. Many children may become confused when asked questions of this nature, however children develop and learn at different stages and therefore, I would not disregard these questions with all children. When children reach a certain age or become more mature through-out school, some children may enjoy answering these type of questions, voicing their opinions or beliefs if they feel passionate about a certain subject or just even enjoy a challenge.