Questioning

Teacher questioning and student response are common classroom learning activities. Research finds that teacher questions (and cues) are effective when they focus on what is important, require students to respond at higher levels, provide adequate wait time after a question is asked and establish an engaging introduction for the lesson. Effective questioning can also play a role in focusing students on unit learning goals or overarching themes throughout a longer period of study. Learners do best when they are given adequate opportunities to engage with and respond to questions. As a teacher, you can use questions effectively in the classroom to:

⚬ review learning

⚬ challenge learner thinking

⚬ stimulate interest and motivate learners to become actively involved in the lesson

⚬ cultivate critical thinking skills

⚬ encourage learners to ask their own questions.

Thinking is driven not by answers but by questions. Teachers should also encourage students to ask questions and answer each other’s questions. Creating a classroom where students are empowered to generate authentic questions is an important strategy for teaching and learning.

There are a number of ways in which you can do this.

Depending on the content and aims of the lesson, it is likely that you will use different types of question.

Three types of question are explained and exemplified below.

TIP: You should consider the wording of questions in advance to ensure that they are accessible to all learners.

·        Discussion questions

These facilitate debate and allow teachers to dig deeper into learner reasoning (in some situations, their imagination) by asking probing questions.

Example: Why do you think that? Activity: could be used in pair, small group or whole-class discussion. Discussion questions do not need to have a ‘correct answer’ as their value is in helping learners to think through, share and discuss their own response.

·        Diagnostic questions

These give you a quick insight into whether what you have taught has been learned. Responses may identify parts of the curriculum that warrant re-teaching to clarify misconceptions and fill gaps. They can identify specific gaps in learner understanding while learning is still taking place.

Example: True or false? Activity: could be a lesson starter (using mini-whiteboards or sticky notes) or part of a quiz or other form of assessment.

All diagnostic questions must have a clear purpose; you must use the information gathered to help inform your next steps. See below for suggestions on how to use diagnostic results in feedback.

·        Hinge-point questions

The ‘hinge’ is the point where you move from one key idea/activity/point on to another. Hinge-point questions are a specific type of diagnostic question that are most useful after a period of learning to help you decide whether to continue, recap or re-teach. It is usually the case that understanding the content that occurs before the hinge is a prerequisite for the next chunk of learning. This is important because moving on is dangerous if key concepts are not fully understood, yet if you get this wrong and re-teach pointlessly then engagement will slip and time will be wasted.

Example: What did we learn today? Why does it matter? Activity: list of ideas (timed), either individually or in a pair. These could be written on poster paper or shared orally.

For hinge-point questions to be useful, you have to be able to elicit the information from learners immediately and be able to understand and act on it quickly. Dylan Wiliam suggests that learners should respond within one minute and teachers should be able to view and interpret responses within 15 seconds.

Hinge-point questions seek a response in the form of a snapshot, not an essay. Experienced teachers will use a ra