University of La Salette

Faculty Development Training

EMIS Junior High Campus
July 13, 2019

Title of Training: Effective Questioning

Facilitator: Priscila O. Ilagan, Ph.D.
Objectives: To help teachers improve their skills in formulating questions that
challenge students’ logical and critical thinking skills.

Expected Outputs of the Training

1. Prepare a sequence of questions that the teacher asks in classroom discussion of a
chosen topic or subject matter.
2. Prepare 5 questions each of the 6 levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
3. Present output in the assembly ready for critiquing by fellow participants

Logical thinking is the process in which one uses reasoning consistently to come to a
conclusion.

“The basis of all logical thinking is sequential thought. The process involves taking the
important ideas, facts, and conclusions involved in a problem and arranging them in a chain-
like progression that takes on a meaning in and of itself. To think logically is to think in steps.
“(Karl Albrecht)

“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of activity and skillfully

conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and or evaluating information gathered
from or generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or communication as a
guide to belief and action” (National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking)

Power Point 1
Why is Effective Questioning Important?

- Directs students’ thinking in a particular way

- Encourages learners to think and actively construct their own thinking
- Structures or guides the learning task
- Allows teachers to assess the learning of their students in terms of what they can take
from the lesson
- Identifies gaps and misconceptions in students’ learning
- Provides immediate insight into where the learning of students has developed to
- Helps students clarify their understanding of the topic
- Motivates students’ interest and engagement in a topic
- Provide opportunities for student learning through discussion
Power point 2
Steps for Planning Questions
- Decide your goals or purpose for asking questions (this will help you determine what
levels of questions you will ask)
- Select the content for questioning (those which you consider important rather than trivial)
Do not mislead by emphasizing less important material
- Ask questions that require an extended response or at least “content “answer. Avoid
questions answerable by yes or no, true or false. You are going to follow more questions
to explore reasoning.
- Write your main questions in advance. This is called scripting. Develop a stock of a good
follow up questions. Arrange in logical sequence (specific to general, lower to higher
level- a sequence related to content. Having a prepared list of questions will help to
assure that you ask questions appropriate to your goals and representation of the
important material
- Phrase you question so that the task is clear to the student. Questions such as:
1. What about foreign affairs? (does not lead to productive answers and
discussions)
2. What did we say about chemical bonding? (too general)
- Your questions should not contain the answer. Avoid implied response questions when
you are genuinely seeking for an answer from the class
Example: Don’t we all agree that the author of the article exaggerated the
dangers of agent, orange to strengthen his viewpoint? (does not encourage
student response)
- Try to anticipate possible student response. Anticipating student response will help you
consider whether the phrasing of the question is accurate whether question focus on the
goal you have in mind whether you have enough flexibility to allow students to express
ideas in their own words. Consider the following:
 What are some typical misconceptions that might lead to incorrect
answer?
 Am I asking an open or closed question?
 What response to I expect from students? A definition? An example? A
solution?
 Will I accept the answer in the students’ language or am I expecting the
textbook’s words or my own terms?
 What will my strategy be for handling incorrect answers?
 What will I do if students do not answer?
Power point 3
Some Strategies for Asking Questions
- Aim for direct specific questions
- Ask questions throughout your class and ask only one question at a time
- Ask thought provoking at the start of the lesson to crystalize a key concept and engage
learners this might be asked again at the end of the lesson or topic
- Ask learners in twos or threes what they would like to know about the topic to stimulate
interested and asses how much students already know
 - Ask students to evaluate their answer first it is more comfortable to say “my thought”
than “I think”
- Ask the rest of the class to evaluate a response “What does everyone thinks?” this will
help to enrich the answer and may allow the initial responder to reconsider their answer
in the light of other ideas.
- Each open ended questions (for engaging students in discussion as they offer
opportunity for debate)
- Ensure a balance between closed and open questions as well as content and process
related questions. A simple first question if well prepared can lead into a journey of true
discovery
- Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to be sure you are addressing versions types of cognitive
process in your questioning.

Blooms Taxonomy

What pupils need to do Example of possible question structures

Define, recall, describe, label,
Remembering identify, match, name, state
Translate, predict, explain,
Understandin summarize, describe, compare
g (events and objects), classify
Demonstrate how, solve, try it
in a new context, use, interpret,
Applying relate, apply, ideas
Analyze, explain infer,
breakdown, prioritize, reason
logically, reason critically draw
Analyzing conclusion
Evaluating Asses, judge, compare/ contrast,
evaluate
What is it called? Where does.... Come from?
When did it happen?
Who?
What type of triangle are there?
Why does he ....?
Explain what is happening in the crater....
So hoe is Tim feeling at this point?
What are the key feature...?
Explain the writer's idea about.....
What do you think will happen next?
Why?
So which tool would be best for this?
Put the information into a graph.
Can you use what you now know to solve the
problem?
How is.......an example of...?
How is .....relate to ....?
What patterns can you see in the ways these verbs
change?
Why did the Germas invade? What assumptions
are being made.....?
What is the function of....?
Classify according to....
Which slogan is likely to have the greatest impact?
Should they develop the green-field site? Which
was the better strategy to use?
What was the better strategy?

Design, create, compose,
combine, recognize reflect,
predict, speculate, hypothesize,
Creating summarize
What could you refer from....?
Compose a phrase of your own using a syncopated
rhythm.
What is the writer's main point?
What ways could you test that theory?
What conclusion can you draw?

Power Point 4

Types of Questions
1. Closed Questions
 Typically, there is only one right answer
 Questions answerable by yes or no
 Useful in checking student’s memory and recall of facts

Example: “Who discovered Penicillin?”

“When was the Marawi siege?”

“What are the characteristics of living things?”

2. Open Questions
 Have more than one answer
 Typically promote higher order thinking skills
 Enable teachers to check students’ knowledge and understanding
 Asses learner’s ability to apply acquired knowledge and generalize it to
new context, boosting problem solving skills and developing creativity

Example: “What do you think will happen next?”

“Why might some birds mate for life?”

“What are the pros and cons of planning an essay

Levels of Questions
Lower Level Questions are typically at the remember, understand and apply levels of the Taxonomy.
They are most appropriate for:

 Evaluating students’ preparation and comprehension

 Diagnosing students’ strengths and weaknesses
 Reviewing and summarizing content

Higher Level Questions involve the ability to analyze, evaluate, or create and are most appropriate for:

 Encouraging students to think more deeply and critically

 Problem solving
 Encouraging discussion
 Stimulating students to seek information on their own
Power Point 5
(Mimeographed Sheets)
Example:

1. New Learning in 8th Grade Math

Consider the role of questioning in this vignette in which eighth graders are studying the
Pythagorean Theorem, and how to apply the Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in
right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions.

 The teacher begins the lesson by asking students to think about the following:
o What do you know about triangles?
o Why does a²+ b²= c²?
 After students bring forth their prior knowledge on the topic, the teacher shows the
students a proof “without words” video clip on the Smart Board. Students are then asked
to discuss the following question with a peer:
o Can you explain the proof?
o What questions do you have about ________’s explanation?
 Students then watch the clip again, thinking about whether they agree or disagree with
their original lines of thinking. After further discussion with peers, the teacher asks:
“Does anyone have a different way to explain it?”
Students are then asked the following questions designed to help them reflect on their
understanding:
o Does it make sense?
o What is clear? What is confusing?
 To end the lesson, the teacher leaves students with a question to ponder. This same
question will be used to begin the next class. A possible question is: “Will it always
work? Why or why not?”

2. Practicing Skills and Deepening Understanding

in 11th Grade Social Studies
In the example below, eleventh graders have just analyzed the Preamble to the Constitution for
its themes, purposes, and rhetorical features.

 To begin the lesson, the teacher asks:

o What do you remember about our discussion of the Preamble?
o What emerged as an important theme? What evidence did you cite to support
that thinking?
  Students are then asked to review how they annotated the text in the previous class, and
discuss it with a peer. The teacher then asks: “After reviewing this information with a
peer, how has your thinking been extended or changed?”
 Students are then charged with using the same strategies for analyzing a document they
used in the previous class, and given the task of analyzing the Bill of Rights. The
teacher asks guiding questions such as:
o What are some similarities and differences between the Preamble and the Bill of
Rights?
o What do you notice about the language used in each? Why did the authors
choose that language?
o What was new learning for you when you analyzed the Bill of Rights?

Questioning your questioning

Look at the questions below. This should help you analyze your own strengths and
weaknesses in questioning and focus your next efforts. Try to answer the questions as honestly
as you can.
 Do your questions reinforce/ revisit the learning objectives?
 Does your questioning engage pupils in thinking for themselves?
 Do you involve all pupils?
 Do you use the individual, work as pair, share as group, present to the class’
method to its best effect?
 Do you model for pupils the sort of questions they might want/ need to ask?
 Do your questions show connections between previous and new learning?
 Do your questions motivate?
 Can you preface your questions with an individual’s name a motivational
challenge? ‘James, I know that you can give me three examples…’
 Do you ask pupils to explain their thinking?
 Do you provide other, extending questions: ‘What other alternatives did you
consider?’ ‘why did you reject them?’ ‘What makes this choice the best?’
 Do you reflect back? ‘so, if I’m right what you are saying is…’
 Do you ask pupils to listen accurately? Summarize? Speculate?
 Do they listen and respond to each other as well as the teacher?
 Do you play devil’s advocate?
 Do you promote justification and reasoning?
 What about speculation and hypothesis?
 Can you encourage upside – down thinking by asking for the opposite point of
view, or an outrageous alternative?
 Do you provide opportunities for students to explain the processes they chose,
as well as describe the outcome?
 In what ways do you foster an atmosphere of trust where student’s opinions and
ideas are valued?
 Do you stage or sequence questions with increasing levels of challenge, moving
them from unsorted or unordered knowledge to organized understanding, where
patterns and meaning have been established?
WORKSHOP
Use the steps in the TAXONOMY to plan objectives for a lesson or two and corresponding sequence of
questions for each lesson to assess student learning (attainment of objectives).

Format:
I. Objectives
1.
2
3.
II. Subject Matter
III. Reference
IV. Instructional Tools
V. Procedure/Strategy/ies/ Activities
VI. Questions asked in the Classroom
1.
2.
VII. Question Asked during the Remidial Test

Handling Students Response to Questions

(an important Aspect of classroom interaction is the manner in which the teacher
handles student responses. When a teacher asks a question, students can either
respond, ask a question, or give no response)

Strategies to use when students respond

 Reinforcement
 Teacher should reinforce in a positive way to encourage future
participation
a) Making positive statement
b) Using positive non-verbal communication like smiling,
nodding and maintaining eye contact. Avoid improper non-
verbal responses like reading notes while student speaks,
looking at the board, ruffling papers
If the student gives an incorrect or off-tangent answers think of ways to
students provide a correct answer. Use strategies such as probing,
paraphrasing, or asking the question in a different way.

Teacher may provide a student who has never responded in class with
more reinforcement than someone who responds often.

 Probing
 The initial response of students maybe superficial. Teacher need
to use a questioning strategy called probing to make students
explore initial comments. Probes are useful in getting students
more involved in critical analysis of their own and others’ ideas.
Probes can be used to:
o Analyze a students’ statement, make a student aware of
underlying assumptions or justify or evaluate a statement
Example:

Teacher – “What are some ways we might do to

solve the energy crisis?”

Student: “I would like to see a greater movement to

peak-load pricing of utility companies.”

Teacher: “What assumptions are you making about

consumer behavior when you suggest that
solution?”

o Helps students deduce relationships. Teacher may ask

students to judge the implications of their statement or to
compare and contrast concept.
Example:

Teacher: “What are some advantages and

disadvantages of having grade given in subjects?”

Student 1: “Grades can be a motivation for people

to learn.”

Student 2: “To much pressure on grades causes

some students to stop learning, freeze, go blank.”

Teacher: “If both of those statements are true, what

generalization can you make about the relationship
between motivation and learning?”

o Have students clarifying or elaborate on their comments by

asking more information
Example:

Teacher: “Could you please develop your ideas

further? Can you provide an example of what
concept?”

Student: “it was obvious that the crew had gone

insane.”
Teacher: “What is the legal definition of insane?”

Student: “It was a violation of due process.”

 Teacher: “Can you explain why?”

 Adjust/Refocus
 When a student provides a response that appears out of context,
the teacher can re-focus to encourage the student to tie her
response to the content being discussed.

This technique is also used to shift attention to new topics.

Example:

Teacher: “What does it mean to devalue the peso?”

Student: “Um, I’m not really sure, but doesn’t that mean that a
peso doesn’t go as far as it used to? Does that mean it’s
devalued?”

Teacher:” Well, let’s talk a little bit about another concept, and that
is inflation. How does inflation affect your peso?”

Strategies to use when student do not respond

 Re-direct
 When a student responds, teacher can ask another student to
comment on his statement
 This will enable more students to participate
 This will also allow a student to correct another student’s incorrect
statement or respond to another student’s question

Example:
Teacher: 1. Rex, do you agree with Mark’s comment?
2. From your experience Yssa, does what Allan said
seem true?
3. Hannah, can you give me an Example of the concept
that Ela mentioned?
 Re-Phrasing
 Used when students give an incorrect answer or does not
respond. Instead of telling the student that he is incorrect, or
calling another one to answer.
 Try to reword the question to make it clearer. The question
maybe poorly phrased
Example:
Teacher –What is neurosis? (no response from students)
Teacher – What are the identifying characteristics of a
neurotic person?
  The teacher can provide some information to help student come
up with the answer
Example:
Teacher – How far has ball fallen after 3 seconds?
Student – I have no idea.
Teacher – Let’s break down the question. How do we measure
distance?

 The teacher can break the question into more manageable parts
Example
Teacher – What is the epidemiology of polio?
Student – I’m not sure
Teacher – What does epidemiology mean?

 Using “Wait Time”

(Research on classroom questioning and information processing indicates
that students need at least 3 seconds to comprehend a question, consider
the available information, formulate an answer and begin to respond)

Rationale for Wait Time

 Students have more time to think.
 More students have time to prepare a response.
 More students participate in responding.
 Students can make greater sense of their classmates’ responses.
 Teachers are less tempted to answer their own questions.
 Students give longer responses.
 Students spend more time pondering the ideas presented.
 Teachers ask fewer questions, and those they do ask are at a higher level.

On the other hand, too much wait time can also be detrimental to student’s interaction. When no
one seems to be able to answer a question more wait time will not necessarily solve the
problem. Waiting time more than 20 to 30 seconds is perceived as punishing by students.

Reference:
http//www.westlothian.gov.uk/education
https://garryhall.org.uk
https://teachingcenter.mustl.edu
https://citl.illinois.edu