UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN

FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT - EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

COURSE TITLE - MICRO

- TEACHING AND
OBSERVATION

COURSE CODE - EDT 311

GROUP 15
ASSIGNMENT - STRATEGIES
FOR
PROMOTING CRITICAL THINKING
THROUGH QUESTIONING

LEVEL - 300LVL
 GROUP MEMBERS
1. AYANLADE, Oluwadamilola Blessing 20/25PC134
2. AYANLEKE, David Olaoluwa 20/25PC135
3. AYEBULU, Eric Oluwaseun 20/25PC136
4. AYENI, Oluwafikayomi Dorathy 20/25PC137
5. AYENI, Simon Tobi 20/25PC138
6. AYIBIOWU, Oluwafikayomi Samuel 20/25PC139
7. AYILEKA, Samuel Boluwatife 20/25PC140
8. AYODEJI, Ayomide Victor 20/25PC141
9. AYODELE, Precious Oluwaseun 20/25PC142
10.AYOTUNDE, Omotayo 20/25PC190
 STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING
CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH
QUESTIONING

INTRODUCTION -

Critical thinking is an essential skill that all students will use in

almost every aspect of their lives. From solving problems to
making informed decisions, thinking critically is a valuable skill
that will help students navigate the world’s complexities.

Critical thinking has been identified as a fundamental

competency expected from students in second language learning
process (Fishbein, Eckart, Lauver, Van Leeuwen, &
Langmeyer, 1990; Janes & Hauer, 1988).

Accordingly, questioning technique is considered as the key

strategy to promote students to think critically. One major
problem teachers usually face with in the classroom is that
students seem to be passive in interactive activities and once
teacher asks a question, only one or two students raise their
hands. This may be true in case of writing, as students are not
passionate to write an essay. Having lack of idea is believed as
one reason that students are unwilling to participate in
productive skills such as writing.
It is likely that student’s lack of participation is due to blank
mind and not because of linguistic incompetency. This should
be differentiated in research. Hence, this paper intends to
investigate the effect of questioning technique on developing

critical thinking in second language learners. In other words, the

present paper aims at using questioning technique to encourage
students to improve their critical thinking, which, in turn, leads
to become more active in producing language, including

speaking and mostly writing, since it is believed that good

writing results from good thinking.

Questioning is important because questions motivate students,

focus their attention, elicit (bring out) deeper processing of
information, tell students how well they are mastering content,
and give them an opportunity for practice and rehearsal.

Based on Socratic model questioning technique helps students to

think critically through focusing explicitly on the process of
thinking. According to Socrates, when questions are disciplined
and carefully structured, then, students are able to slow down
and examine their own thinking processes. According to Davis
(1993), thoughtful, disciplined questioning in the classroom can
achieve the following teaching and learning goals:

 Support active and student-centered learning;

 Help students to construct knowledge;
 Help students to develop problem-solving skills; and
 Improve long-term retention of knowledge.
 STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING
CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH
QUESTIONING

1. Use Bloom's taxonomy

Bloom's taxonomy is a framework that categorizes different

types of cognitive skills, from lower-order to higher-order. It
consists of six levels: remember, understand, apply, analyze,
evaluate, and create. Teachers can use Bloom's taxonomy as a
guide to design questions that match the level of thinking they
want to elicit from their students. For example, questions that
ask students to recall facts or definitions are at the remember
level, while questions that ask students to compare and contrast,
justify, or create are at the evaluate and create levels. Teachers
can also use Bloom's taxonomy to scaffold their questions,
starting from lower-order and moving to higher-order, to help
students deepen their learning.

2. Use open-ended questions

Open-ended questions are questions that have more than one

possible answer, or that require more than a yes or no response.
They encourage students to think critically, creatively, and
independently, and to express their opinions, ideas, and
reasoning. Open-ended questions also invite students to explore
different perspectives, connections, and implications, and to
justify their answers with evidence or examples.
Some examples of open-ended questions are: What do you think
about...? How would you solve...? Why do you agree or disagree
with...? What are the advantages and disadvantages of...? How
are these two concepts related...?

3. Use wait time

Wait time is the amount of time that teachers give students to

think and respond after asking a question. Research shows that
increasing wait time can improve the quality and quantity of
student responses, as well as their confidence and participation.
Wait time also gives teachers an opportunity to observe and
assess student thinking, and to plan follow-up questions or
feedback. Teachers can use different strategies to extend wait
time, such as counting silently, using prompts or cues, or asking
students to write or discuss their answers with a partner before
sharing.

4. Use probing questions

Probing questions are questions that follow up on a student's

initial response, to elicit more information, clarification, or
elaboration. They can also challenge students to think deeper, to
justify their answers, to consider alternative views, or to apply
their knowledge to new situations. Probing questions can help
teachers assess student understanding, identify misconceptions,
provide feedback, and scaffold learning.

Some examples of probing questions are: Can you explain that

in more detail? What evidence do you have for that? How does
that relate to what we learned before? What would happen if...?
5. Use feedback questions

Feedback questions are questions that provide students with

information about their performance, progress, or learning
process. They can also guide students to reflect on their
strengths, weaknesses, goals, or strategies, and to plan their next
steps or actions. Feedback questions can help students monitor
and regulate their own learning, and to develop a growth
mindset and a sense of agency. Some examples of feedback
questions are: What did you learn from this activity? How did
you approach this problem? What did you do well? What do you
need to improve? How will you use this feedback?

6. Incorporate Project-Based Learning

Immerse students in real-world problem scenarios by having

them partake in project-based learning. Engaging in hands-on
projects where students need to collaborate, communicate,
analyze information, and find solutions to their challenges is a
great way to develop their critical thinking skills. Throughout
the project, students must engage in higher-order thinking while
gathering their information and making decisions throughout
various stages.

This approach pushes students to think critically while they

connect to a real-world issue, and it helps them understand the
relevance this issue has in their lives. Throughout the project,
students will hone their critical thinking skills because PBL is a
process that requires reflection and continuous improvement.
7. Offer Diverse Perspectives

Consider offering students a variety of viewpoints. Sometimes

classrooms are filled with students who share similar
perspectives on their beliefs and cultural norms. When this
happens, it hinders learners from alternative viewpoints or
experiences. Exposing students to diverse perspectives will help
to broaden their horizons and challenge them to think beyond
their perspectives. In addition, being exposed to different
viewpoints encourages students to be more open-minded so they
are more equipped to develop problem-solving strategies and
analytical skills. It also helps them to cultivate empathy which is
critical for critical thinking because it helps them appreciate
others more and be concerned for them.

To support diverse viewpoints in the classroom, use various

primary sources such as documentaries and articles from people
who have experienced current events firsthand. Or invite in a
few guest speakers who can offer varying perspectives on the
same topic. Bring diverse perspectives into the classroom
through guest speakers or by watching documentaries from
varying experts.

8. Assign Tasks on Critical Writing

Assign writing tasks that encourage students to organize and

articulate their thoughts and defend their position. By doing so,
you are offering students the opportunity to demonstrate their
critical thinking skills as well as effectively communicate
theirthoughts and ideas. Whether it’s through a research paper or
an essay, students will need to support their claims and show
evidence to prove their point of view. Critical writing also
 requires students to analyze information, scrutinize different
perspectives, and question the reliability of sources, all of which
contribute to the development of their critical thinking skills.

9. Promote Collaboration

Collaborative learning is a powerful tool that promotes critical

thinking among students. Whether it’s through group
discussions, classroom debates, or group projects, peer
interaction will help students develop the ability to think
critically. For example, a classroom debate will challenge
students to articulate their thoughts, defend their viewpoints, and
consider opposing viewpoints.