questioning

QUESTIONING STRATEGY

purpose of questioning.

- teacher can make out whether students are learning effectively or not.

- help the students in the forward planning.

- used to involve students in one-going classwork.

- gives students an opportunities to share their own understanding.

- improvement on communication and social skill of the students will be there.

- students can invite to ask question themselves, and this lead to more sophisticated discussions.

- for their own learning the pupil can be lead to questioning and they gain interest as well.

Principle of questioning. 

• Distribute questions so that all, including non-volunteers, are involved.

• Balance accurate and thought-provoking questions.

• Ask both simple and challenging questions, so that the poorer students may participate and the brighter students may be extended. 

•  Encourage lengthy responses and sustained answers. 

• Stimulate critical thinking by asking: “To what extent?”, “How?”, “Under what circumstances?” “Why?”, “Compare (or contrast)...”

•    Allow time for thought. Wait until five or six students want to speak

• Ensure audibility, then refuse to repeat questions or answers (In large classes always repeat questions and answers!)

• If a student asks a question; don’t answer it until you’ve asked the class, “How would you answer that question...?”

• Personalize questions (“Pretend you are ... what would you do?”)

• Suggest partnership by inquiring, “How can we ...?” 

 

Classification of Questions as per bloom’s taxonomy

   

1. Questions which draw upon knowledge (remembering)

    * If we want students to tell what they already know  through what  they have perceived  or experienced for themselves, the skills  used  are  recalling, remembering, recognizing, defining and identifying.

  The question is characterized by key words as:

         WHO?  WHAT? WHEN?  WHERE?

 

   2. Question which test comprehension (understanding).

 * If we want students to demonstrate that they understood , what they know through negotiating and what is known into different patterns of information. In this ,the skill  used  are rephrasing ,comparing, explaining, interpreting, describing, illustrating and differentiating. 

 The question is characterized by key words as: 

CAN YOU REPHRASE?  CAN YOU DESCRIBE?   WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?  WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA?

 

3. Questions which require application (applying).

* If we want our students to be able to select, transfer and use information and generalisations to complete a task through taking what they have already learned and applying it to other situations. In this, the skill  used  are problem-solving, classifying, selecting, transferring, applying, hypothesizing, relating. 

 The question is characterized by key words as:

 whom would you choose? What would happen if....? if........how can.....? 

what examples.....? how would you....?

 

4.  Questions which encourage analysis(analysing).

* If you want your students to be able to support their arguments and opinions  through organizing ideas into logical patterns of understanding. In this, skill used are analyzing, determining the evidence, drawing conclusions, reasoning logically, reasoning critically,interfering, ordering.

 

The question is often characterized by such words or phrases as: 

why? What if...? what was the purpose...? is it a fact that.....? 

can we assume that....

 

5. Questions which promote evaluation (evaluating).

* If you we want our students to consider the values implicit in their thinking through looking at evidence and establishing criteria. In this, skill used are Summarizing, judging, defending, assessing, arguing, reasoning, appraising, criticizing, appreciating, selecting, deducing and deciding priorities.

      The question is characterized by key words as: 

       Which is better? Would you agree that...? would it be better if ....?

       what is your opinion...? were we (you, they) right to....?

 

6. Questions  which invite synthesis(creating).

* If we want our students to construct a connected whole from separate elements through expressing original and creative ideas. In this, skill used are originating, integrating, combining, predicting, designing, developing, improving, reflecting and supposing. 

  The question is often characterized by such phrases are:

 How could we/you...? how can...? what if...? i wonder how...? 

do you suppose that....?

 

Convergent questioning:

• It is close ended question, which have only one answer and it should be direct.

•   The convergent technique is an ideal application of “teacher-directed instruction” or direct instruction, where all students in the class respond in unison to teacher-asked question. 

•  Convergent questions, for the most part, elicit short responses from students. 

•  Focuses on the lower levels of thinking – that is, the knowing and applying levels, In inductive type of teaching (proceeding from a set of specific data to student-derived conclusion). 

•  Convergent type of questioning or rapid-fire technique also allows for participation by all students.

•   Teacher in foreign language classes may use a convergent, rapid-fire pattern to help develop oral, vocabulary, and spelling skills among the students.   

•  The use of convergent, rapid-fire technique focuses on specific learning objectives, skills,  or short responses.   

•  The basic convergent patterns allows the teacher to “dominate” the thinking of the students by asking for short-length, low level intellectual responses that involves a single answer or a limited of logical answers.

   

convergent question? 

 Who is the present minister of education? 

What is your name? 

  Who is the present queen of Bhutan? 

Name the animal having two legs? 

 How many wings does bird have?

 

Divergent questioning:   

It is open ended, which have infinite answers and it will have indirect answers. It generally used to encourage number of answers which lead to critical thinking and creativity.  

 It is the opposite of convergent questioning. The focus of divergent questioning is broad. Rather than seeking a single focus, the teacher, with divergent strategy, evokes student’s responses that vary greatly. 

  This technique is ideal for building the self-concepts of children of minority groups, because divergent questions often have few “right” or “wrong” responses.

Features.

Eliciting Multiple Responses: 

- If the teacher decides that more than one student should respond to a particular divergent question. Then the teacher asks a question that can be answered with multiple response.

 

Accepting diversity:    

• In addition to eliciting to longer and multiple responses, the teacher must also be prepared to accept diverse responses.

•  To reinforce appropriate responses behavior, the teacher must demonstrate a high degree of acceptance for the response of each student.

•  The rule of thumb is that when divergent questions are asked by the teacher, free responses of each student must be allowed. Again, this is a great technique for disadvantaged students, as they may get to become “stars” in the classroom. 

      

        Beginning the sequence:

•    A technique that helps the teacher initially frame divergent questions is to write out the questions prior to ask them. Then examine them to ensure that they are clearly stated and convey the precise meaning intended.

• The teacher who uses the divergent questions for the first time will probably find the initial class experience rather difficult or even disappointing, usually because students are not oriented towards giving longer or higher-level thinking responses.

 

•  The teacher who uses a divergent technique of questioning will soon discover that the students will respond in the higher level thinking categories of the cognitive taxonomy- that is analyzing, evaluating and creating.

• In this process, while encouraging students to listen to each other, the teacher allows them to participate in a dynamic fashion and thus, to receive peer reinforcement for positive and constructive classroom behavior.

   

  Example questions: 

  1.  What will happen in a school if it had no rules?

  2. How does the environment affect human behavior? 

  3. What will happen if there were no proper preservation of culture

     and tradition in our  country?

   

  Socratic questioning.

  A Socratic approach to teaching is one in which the instructor poses thoughtful questions to help students learn.  

   The Socratic method of teaching is a student-centered approach that challenges learners to develop their critical thinking skills and engage in analytic discussion.

   ACHIVEMENTS?

  • Facilitate inquiry-based learning

  • Helps students to think critically by focusing explicitly in the process of thinking.

  • Socrates was convinced that disciplined practice of thoughtful questioning enables the scholar/student to examine ideas logically and to be able to determine the validity of those ideas.

  • Support active, student-centered learning.   

  •  Improve long-term retention of knowledge.  

  •  Help students to develop problem-solving skills.

   

  TEACHERS ROLE:

  •   model of critical thinking.

   

  •   Respect students view points.

   

  •   Probes their understanding.

   

  •  Show genuine interest in their thinking.

   

  • Create intellectually stimulating classroom environment.

   

  •  Acknowledge the value of students in the classroom. 

   

  • Ask open-ended questions that require elaboration. If you ask questions that require only  a yes or no answer, you won’t be able to determine a student’s real understanding of the material. Ask the student to do the explaining.

   

  SIX TYPES OF SOCRATIC QUESTIONS: 

   

• Questions for clarification:

   Get them to think more about what exactly they are asking or thinking about. Prove the concepts behind their argument.

  •   What do you mean by ______?

  •    What is your main point?

  •    How does ______ relate to ______?

  •    Could you put that another way?

  • What do you think is the main issue here?

  •   Let me see if I understand you; do you mean ______ or ______? 

   

• Questions that ask assumptions:

   Probing their assumptions makes them think about the unquestioned beliefs on which they are founding their argument.

  • What are you assuming?

  • You seem to be assuming ______. Do I understand you correctly? 

  • All of your reasoning depends on the idea that ______. Why have you based your reasoning on ______ rather than ______?

  • You seem to be assuming ______. How would you justify taking this for granted?

   

   Questions that ask reasons and evidence:

   When they give a rationale for their arguments, dig into that reasoning rather than assuming it is a given.

  •  What would be an example?

  •  How do you know?

  •   Why do you think that is true?

  •   Do you have any evidence for that? 

  •   What difference does that make?

  •   What are your reasons for saying that?

  •  Could you explain your reasons to us?

  •  Are these reasons adequate?

   

  Questions about Viewpoints and Perspectives:

  Most arguments are given from a particular position. So attack the position. Show that there are other, equally valid, viewpoints.

  •  You seem to be approaching this issue from ______ perspective. Why have you chosen this rather than that perspective?

  •  How would other groups/types of people respond? Why? What would influence them?   

  • What might someone who believed ______ think?

  •   Can/did anyone see this another way? 

   

  Questions that ask implications and consequences.

   The argument that they give may have logical implications that can be forecast.

  •   What are you implying by that?

  •   When you say ______ are you implying ______?

  •    But if that happened, what else would happen as a result? Why?

  •    What effect would that have?

  •    Would that necessarily happen or only probably happen?

   

  Questions about the question:

  And you can also get reflexive about the whole thing, turning the question in on itself. Use their attack against themselves. Bounce the ball back into their court, etc.

  •  What was the point of this question?

  •  Why do you think I asked this question?

  •   What does...mean?

  •   How does...apply to everyday life?

  •   "Why do you think diffusion is important?"

   

  Procedural-steps of questioning.

   

  1.   Write question.

  2. Gain attention. 

  3.   Ask Question.

  4. Pause while asking the question 

  5. call for the responses/answer 

  6.  If no responses change the question.

  7. Again if no responses pick somebody.

  8. After the response supplement on it. 

   

   

• General guidelines for presenting questions

     

  1. When planning questions, keep in mind our goals. 

  2. Avoid asking “leading questions.”

  3.   Follow  a “yes-or- no” question with an additional question. Aim for direct, clear, specific answer.  

  4. In class discussions, do not ask more than one question at once. 

  5. When you plan each session, include notes of when you will pause to ask and answer questions. 

  6. Ask a different types of questions