Final answer:
Inviting a colleague to observe and provide feedback is the most effective strategy for an English teacher to improve questioning techniques and encourage student participation during instruction. It offers direct and actionable feedback, which is essential for enhancing classroom engagement.
Step-by-step explanation:
To improve questioning techniques and increase student participation during instruction, the English teacher could benefit most from inviting a colleague to observe and assess a lesson. This peer observation allows for immediate feedback and reflection on the effectiveness of questioning strategies and class engagement. Moreover, the colleague may provide insights into how to create a more inclusive classroom atmosphere that encourages all students to participate.
Reading professional articles on classroom management and attending conferences on pedagogical content can also be beneficial but may not provide as direct and actionable feedback as a live observation. Meanwhile, videotaping lessons can help identify students who are not engaged, but it does less to improve questioning techniques. For personalized help, students are encouraged to talk to their professor or teaching assistant about difficulties to show engagement and curiosity, which ties into the principle of academic integrity.