Slemish College

Learning together for individual Success

Questioning

Effective Questioning

Try this technique - no hands Friday!  

 
Why no hands?
·          Encourages all students to think, not just enthusiastic!
·          Involves the more reserved students.
·          Creates more inclusive environment.
·          Avoids questioning becoming just testing
·          Helps you learn names!

Useful Link - www.classtools.net

Questioning

High-level questioning can be used as a tool for assessment for learning. Teachers can:
 

  • Use questions to find out what pupils know, understand and can do
  • Analyse pupils’ responses and their questions in order to find out what they know, understand and can do
  • Use questions to find out what pupils’ specific misconceptions are in order to target teaching more effectively
  • Use pupils’ questions to assess understanding.
Ask better questions

  • To focus attention - Have you seen? What is that?
  • To force comparisons - How many? How long? How often? How much?
  • To get clarification - What do you mean by? Can you show me? Can you explain further? Give me an example?
  • To stimulate enquiry - What would happen if? What do we need to know?
  • To get reasons - How do you know? Why do you think that?
Get better answers

  • Provide thinking time
A longer wait time (e.g. 3 seconds):
  • produces more and better answers,
  • allows the learner to think things through,
  • shows that responsibility for thinking is with them, not you,
  • shows that trying takes time and effort and you believe they can do it.
Make Questions a habit for learners

  • Create a questioning climate in class
  • Be a role model: ask yourself questions aloud in class - share curiosity and doubts,
  • Use books, objects and other items to stimulate questions,
  • Encourage learners to bring you objects or issues that interest them,
  • Use provocative open-ended questions to stimulate other questions.
Questioning strategies

  • Think Pair share
This approach involves everyone and allows pupils to think about their answer, discuss it with a partner and then share it with a group. This can take the focus off the individual, improve self-esteem and give shy pupils a voice.

  • No hands up
When you ask a question and one pupil in a class puts his or her hand up, often everyone else in the class stops thinking or trying to work out the answer. By asking for ’no hands up’, you can encourage all pupils to stay engaged with the question for longer.

KWL grids