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.

What is differentiation? Differentiation is usually presented as a teaching approach where teachers think of learners as individuals and learning as a personalised process. According to Alyce Hunter in Differentiated Instruction in the English Classroom “Differentiated instruction is a recognition that students vary in their needs, interests, abilities, and prior knowledge. It's a springboard from which students work toward the same ends, but they use different content, processes, and products to get there. It's all about successfully teaching each student. And it can be done in the regular English classroom.” Although precise definitions can vary, typically the core aim of differentiation is viewed as ensuring that all learners, no matter their ability, interest or context, make progress towards their learning intentions. It is about using different approaches and appreciating the differences in learners to help them make progress. Teachers therefore need to be responsive, and willing and able, to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of their learners. There is no one unique style teachers should adopt. Teachers do not need to differentiate everything for everyone every day; instead, they should select appropriate moments in the instructional sequence to differentiate. In other words, effective differentiation is part of an experienced teacher’s daily lesson plan. It is important that teachers are able to respond to the needs of their learners and use the techniques they deem to be most suitable. It can be difficult to fit in all the syllabus content and support all learners, keeping them engaged in their learning. This is a challenge for teachers the world over. Although there is no single formula that creates a differentiated classroom, when differentiation is in place, opportunities for innovation and ongoing reflection are created that boost teaching and learning in a way which would not be possible in a ‘one size fits all’ lesson. Effective differentiation is heavily reliant on teachers being able to respond to each individual and fully understand their needs to best support their next steps. The viability of this will depend on each teacher’s specific context, motivation, obstacles to overcome and training. There is no single, optimum way to conduct differentiated teaching. However, we can provide a selection of strategies to help teachers to become more confident in their teaching practice. Differentiation is predominantly supported in the following ways: differentiation by questioning (embedding questioning strategies to inform better next steps) differentiation by grouping (using mixed ability groups) differentiation by outcomes (multiple modes of learner output or how learners demonstrate/show their learning) differentiation by task (additional worksheets).

Role of the learner Understanding individual learners is vital for successful differentiation. In order to be effective, figuring out what the individual already knows or can do is a vital step in the process. Getting to know learners is, however, more than just finding out what they know. It is also about a broader understanding of learner difference. Learners and their learning can be different for a number of reasons: they may have different levels of interest in the topic; they may have differences in their levels of motivation, their ability to remember information, their confidence, the accuracy of their handwriting, their levels of vocabulary acquisition. Having knowledge of the individual helps teachers to plan for learning rather than teaching, and ensures that they are always supporting progress. In a differentiated classroom, teachers and learners collaborate in learning and learners have ownership and responsibility. Offering choice can encourage ownership of individual work and learning, creating a learning environment in which learners ‘have no fear’ and apply effort.

Differentiation at Vinschool 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