In response to several requests, I am revisiting questioning in my post. I've been refining questioning processes for the entirety of my career, primarily because of the correlation research suggests between effective questioning and learner success. So, here's my latest draft!
Questions Matter
Most think about issues pertaining to questioning as moving
teachers up the ladder of Bloom’s from recall to higher levels of
thinking. Observation of questioning patterns in the classroom also gives
us significant evidence of the culture with respect to expectations for all
students, whether they are intentional or unintentional. Our goal is to create an environment of high
expectations and successful experiences for all students.
It is crucial we intentionally think about how to design and
ask questions in a manner that (1) holds all students accountable for thinking
and (2) informs our instructional decision making.
Probing, follow-up questioning and accessing prior knowledge:
all assist the student’s ability to
think and solve problems. Student responses provide the ultimate window
into their thinking process, and effective questioning is the ultimate tool to
assist students to think at higher levels.
Below
I offer a list of effective questioning tips and strategies:
· Do not answer
your own questions! Slow down! Listen!
· Do not allow
call-outs, which means several students answer in a choral response manner.
· Remember to
utilize “wait time.” Allow at least
three (3) seconds of thinking time after a question, as well as after a
response. Slow down! Ask/Pause/Call
· When the
teacher calls on a student, all other students put their hands down. This promotes active listening and opens the
door for extension of the “thinking on the floor.” Students either know they
understand or they have an opportunity for possible questioning and
clarification (reciprocal teaching.)
· Call on
students randomly. Avoid the pattern of
only calling on students with raised hands.
Mix it up!
· Whenever a
“What’ question starts to come out of your mouth, try to replace it with “How”
or “Why”
· After a student
responds, the next comment out of your mouth needs to be something like: How did you know that? Tell me why?
Explain your answer. Students
must explain their thinking regarding their response, correct or incorrect.
· Ask “follow-up”
questions: Prove it. Tell me more.
Why? Can you give an example? Do you agree?
Why? Why not? Can you elaborate? Require students to justify their thinking
and defend their reasoning against different points of view. Defend/Justify/Explain!
· Ask more open
questions. In other words, there is not
a single correct answer for the question. Design questions that have multiple
appropriate and alternative responses or solutions.
· Survey the
class using signals or cues. Thumbs up
indicates a YES response or agreement to any question. Thumbs down indicates NO or
disagreement. (Another example: “If you agree with the author’s point of
view, give me a thumbs up.” “If not,
thumbs down.) *Used best in short term settings.
· Students
respond on white board paddles or color-coded cards/sticks. *Long term settings.
· Allow for
students to call on one another. “John,
will you please call on someone else to respond?” “John, would you like to
phone a friend?” “John, would you like a
life line?” A little humor never hurts!
· Ask for summary
to promote active listening. “Could you
please summarize Mary’s response or answer?”
This can be whole group or a “turn to your neighbor.” It is also critical for follow-up after
“phoning a friend” or requesting a “life line.”
· Utilize pair-share
opportunities. Allow individual
thinking time, discussion with a partner; then open up the question for the
class discussion.
· Rephrase the
question or pose the question in a different manner. “Does someone need me to say that in a
different way?”
· Model your
thinking so students have an appropriate example for thinking and questioning.
· Encourage
student questioning. Let the students
develop their own questions. Students
can design questions alone, in pairs or small groups. (Remember, students need appropriate models
first.)
· Withhold judgment! Respond to student responses in a
non-judgmental fashion.
