Ineffective Developing
ve
3b: Using The teacher’s questions
Questioni are of low cognitive
ng and challenge, with single
Discussi correct responses, and
on are asked in rapid
Techniqu succession. Interaction
es between the teacher and
students is predominantly
recitation style, with the
teacher mediating all
questions and answers;
the teacher accepts all
contributions without
asking students to explain
their reasoning. Only a
few students participate in
the
discussion.
Critical  Questions are rapid-
Attribu fire and convergent,
tes with a single correct
answer.
 Questions do not
invite student
thinking.
 All discussion is
between the teacher
and students; students
are not invited to speak
directly to one another.
 The teacher does not
ask students to explain
their thinking.
 Only a few students
dominate the
discussion.
The teacher’s questions lead
students through a single path of
inquiry, with answers seemingly
determined in advance.
Alternatively, the teacher
attempts to ask some questions
designed to engage students in
thinking, but only a few students
are involved. The teacher
attempts to engage all students in
the discussion, to encourage
them to respond to one another,
and to explain their thinking, with
uneven results.
 The teacher frames some
questions designed to promote
student thinking, but many
have a single correct answer,
and the teacher calls on
students quickly.
 The teacher invites students
to respond directly to one
another’s ideas, but few
students respond.
 The teacher calls on many
students, but only a small
number actually participate in
the discussion.
 The teacher asks students to
explain their reasoning, but
only some students attempt
to do so.
Effecti Highly Effective
While the teacher may use some low-level The teacher uses a variety or
questions, he poses questions designed to series of questions or prompts
promote student thinking and understanding. The to challenge students
teacher creates a genuine discussion among cognitively, advance high-
students, providing adequate time for students to level thinking and discourse,
respond and stepping aside when doing so is and promote metacognition.
appropriate. The teacher challenges students to Students formulate many
justify their thinking and successfully engages questions, initiate topics,
most students in the discussion, employing a challenge one another’s
range of strategies to ensure that most students thinking, and make unsolicited
are heard. contributions.
Students themselves ensure
that all voices are heard in the
discussion.
 The teacher uses open-ended questions,  Students initiate higher-
inviting students to think and/or offer multiple order questions.
possible answers.  The teacher builds on and
 The teacher makes effective use of wait time. uses student responses to
 Discussions enable students to talk to one questions in order to
another without ongoing mediation by teacher. deepen student
 The teacher calls on most students, even understanding.
those who don’t initially volunteer.  Students extend the
 Many students actively engage in the discussion. discussion, enriching
 The teacher asks students to justify it.
their reasoning, and most attempt to  Students invite comments
do so. from their classmates
during a discussion and
challenge one another’s
thinking.
 Virtually all students are
engaged in the
discussion.
 Possib  All questions are of  Many questions are of the  The teacher asks, “What might have  A student asks, “How
le the “recitation” type, “recitation” type, such as happened if the colonists had not prevailed in many ways are there to
Examp such as “What is 3 x “How many members of the the American war for independence?” get this answer?”
les 4?” House of Representatives  The teacher uses the plural form in asking  A student says to a
 The teacher asks a are there?” questions, such as “What are some things classmate, “I don’t
question for which  The teacher asks, “Who has you think might contribute to ?” think I agree with you
the answer is on the an idea about this?” The usual  The teacher asks, “Maria, can you comment on this, because…”
board; students three students offer on Ian’s idea?” and Maria responds directly  A student asks of other
respond by reading comments. to Ian. students, “Does anyone
it.  The teacher asks, “Maria, can  The teacher poses a question, asking every have another idea how we
 The teacher calls only you comment on Ian’s idea?” student to write a brief response and then might figure this out?”
on students who have but Maria does not respond or share it with a partner, before inviting a few to  A student asks, “What if…?”
their hands up. makes a comment directly to offer their ideas to the entire class.  And others…
 A student responds to the teacher.  The teacher asks students when they have
a question with wrong  The teacher asks a student to formulated an answer to the question “Why do
information, and the explain his reasoning for why you think Huck Finn did ?” to find the reason
teacher doesn’t follow 13 is a prime number but does in the text and to explain their thinking to a
up. not follow up when the student neighbor.
 And others… falters.  And others…
 And others…

ANALYSIS

DEVELOPING :

The teacher should use a wide variety of series of questions or prompts to challenge students cognitively, advance high-level thinking
and discourse, and promote metacognition.
In this way, the students would be motivated to carry out the activity and not only some of them would participate.
The teacher should use didactic methods that approach and involve the student to the class.

CRITICAL ATTRIBUTES
POSSIBLE EXAMPLES