The Effect of Higher-Order Questioning on the Complexity of Gifted Preschoolers’ Language

A single-subject design was used to examine the effectiveness of a higher-order questioning stimulus. Five children aged 3 to 5 years, who were assessed as being potentially gifted, took part in story-reading sessions in which higher-order questions were asked. A treatment effect was found for three of the five children, suggesting that the use of higher-order questions as part of a story-reading session has the potential to elicit linguistically complex language in young gifted children. Possible reasons for the absence, or reduction, of a treatment effect for two children, and the implications of the findings for practice and future research, are discussed.