QUESTIONING: Types & TechniquesQUESTIONING: Types & Techniques

Aspects of Instruction

“To question well is to teach well. In the skillful use of questions, more than

anything else, lies the fine art of teaching.”

Earnst Sachs

• Questioning occurs in all aspects of life.

• 80% of classroom talk is questions

• Some teachers ask more than 100 every hour!!

(Borich, 1992)

The Purpose!

It is an assessment technique that allows teachers to check for comprehension at various levels.

Through questions, we can help students to expand their knowledge and think creatively – outside the box.

5 Reasons Teachers Question

1. Keeps students actively involved2. Gives students opportunity to express ideas3. Enables students to hear different

explanations from their peers4. Helps teachers pace lessons & moderate

student behaviour5. Helps teachers evaluate student learning &

revise lesson if necessary.

Good vrs. Bad Questions

“Good questions

outrank easy answers!”

- unknown

Good Questions- Asking a good question will develop &

foster interaction. - It promotes student learning,

achievement & understanding.- Sanders (1966) stated, “Good

questions recognize the wide possibilities of thought and are built around various forms of thinking. Good questions are directed toward learning and evaluative thinking rather than determining what has been learned in a narrow sense.”

“A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be

tightened into place. But a seed to be planted and to bear more

seed. Toward the hope of greening the landscape of ideas.”

- John Ciardi, 1972

Good vrs. Bad

“No question is a bad question.” Well, for teachers this is not the case!!

“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don’t know the answer.”

- Douglas Adams

What is a BAD Question?

- Must be aware of how our listener interprets our questions so as not to insult them – cultural differences, boundaries, etc. – they could feel threatened or even punished …

- Some listeners will be turned off & hesitant to answer again.

- They may feel stupid and maybe even withdraw – put their heads down or avoid eye contact.

- May evoke negative feelings towards learning. - We need to NOT:

1. Ask vague questions2. Ask tricky questions3. Ask questions that are too abstract

for age or ability level

Various Types of Questions

Convergent/Direct/Closed** Most time is spent on these types- Answers are limited- single word or short

answer.- Lower levels of cognition- Factual information that can be memorized- Doesn’t necessarily develop a deep

understanding - Relied on to keep the lesson paced & keep

attention of students, maintain control.- Test for understanding- A misplaced closed question can kill the

conversation and lead to awkward silences.

Divergent/Indirect/Open- Higher levels of cognition or reasoning skills- Knowledge used to problem solve, analyze & evaluate- Deep understanding is needed to answer - Elicit longer answers - Asks for knowledge, opinions or feelings- “What?”, “Why?”, “How?”, “Tell me”, “Describe”- Good for

1. Developing more open conversation2. Finding more detail3. Finding others opinions or issues

** Should ask a combination of both BUT individual student needs need to be determined to know the balance between the two.

Benjamin S. Bloom1913 - 1999

- Interested in thinking and its development

- Wanted to reveal what students were thinking about when teachers were teaching because he recognized that it was what students were experiencing that ultimately mattered.

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Questions

1. Knowledge - tell, list, describe, relate, locate, write, find, state, name

2. Comprehension – explain, interpret, outline, discuss, distinguish, predict, restate,

translate, compare, describe 3. Application – solve, show, use, illustrate, construct,

complete, examine, classify 4. Analysis – analyze, distinguish, examine, compare,

contrast, investigate, categorize, identify, explain, separate, advertise

5. Synthesis – create, invent, compose, predict, plan, construct, design, imagine,

propose, devise, formulate 6. Evaluation – judge, select, choose, decide, justify,

debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, discuss, rate, prioritize, determine

“Good teaching is more a giving of right

questions than giving right answers.”- Josef Albers

SOUNDS of SILENCE

Be QUIET!- Don’t interrupt a student

right after the question has been asked

- Give time to answer! - “Teachers rarely wait for

more than 1.5 seconds after asking a question before interfering.” (Tobin, 1987)

- 10 – 15 seconds seem to be adequate – 3 complete breaths

Benefits of SilenceStudents:- More meaningful

answers- Improve accuracy- Improved length- Fewer “no

answers”

Teachers:- Higher order

questions- Precise formulation

of questions- Varied & flexible

questions- Convey teachers

attentiveness

“Some call it laziness. I call it deep thought!”

- Garfeild

Conclusion

Questions that are in line with students level of understanding,

are high in clarity and are accompanied by a period of silence

are likely to be successful!

We can create a learning environment where higher order

thinking is expected and practiced!!

“Tell me, and I’ll listen.

Show me, and I’ll understand.

Involve me, and I’ll learn.”

- Lakota Indian Saying

References• Johnson, Randall. Questioning Techniques to Use in Teaching. JOPERD--The

Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Vol. 68, 1997 http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=K6xJY2TTyKp169jnGb6Nq60hST6sJBfGKnJQWznMwynNrkhZTjfG!-1723388096!-868027653?docId=5002262405

• Bond, Nathan. Article: 12 Questioning Strategies that Minimize Classroom Management Problems. Kappa Delta Pi Record. October 1, 2007. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1343459471.html

• Brualdi, Amy C. (1998). Classroom questions. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 6(6). http://PAREonline.net/getvn.asp?v=6&n=6

• Questioning Techniques. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_88.htm

• 15 Questions & Questioning Techniques. www.worldscibooks.com/etextbook/5150/5150_chapl.pdf

• Bloom’s Taxonomy of Questions. http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researchskills/Dalton.htm