Questions

grouped by learning alignment

Category of Description Alignment
Question
Information Requests for specific details (which are generally closed
questions).

Assessment Checks how much learners already know / what they have
learnt / how much they remember.
Gatekeeper


Mind-Reading The teacher has a particular answer in mind, and will keep
rephrasing the question until learners guess it.

Rhetorical No need to answer these.

Socratic A series of questions that attempts to lead learners to a
specific conclusion.

Inferential Learners are asked to make connections, and to see what
follows from what they already know.
Midwife
Transferral Learners asked to take what they have learnt and transfer it to
new examples or situations.

Procedural Verifies that learners have understood a set of instructions, e.g.
regarding an activity.

Reflective Learners and teacher stand back from the material to question
it or examine its assumptions.

Empathetic The teacher is trying to understand what learners are thinking, Fellow
what they mean, what’s in their minds. Traveller

Acquisition The teacher genuinely doesn't know the answer to the
question, and wants to find it out from someone in class.

Exercise:
From your own teaching practice, find an
example of each of the above categories of
question

Category of
Description
Question
Information Requests for specific details (which are generally closed questions).



My example


Checks how much learners already know / what they have learnt / how much
Assessment
they remember.




My example


The teacher has a particular answer in mind, and will keep rephrasing the
Mind-Reading
question until learners guess it.




My example


Rhetorical No need to answer these.



My example


Socratic A series of questions that attempts to lead learners to a specific conclusion.




My example



Inferential Learners are asked to make connections, and to see what follows from what
they already know.



My example


Transferral Learners asked to take what they have learnt and transfer it to new examples
or situations.



My example


Procedural Verifies that learners have understood a set of instructions, e.g. regarding an
activity.



My example


Reflective Learners and teacher stand back from the material to question it or examine
its assumptions.



My example


Empathetic The teacher is trying to understand what learners are thinking, what they
mean, what’s in their minds.



My example


Acquisition The teacher genuinely doesn't know the answer to the question, and wants to
find it out from someone in class.



My example