The Art of Questioning
description
Transcript of The Art of Questioning
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
The Art of Questioning
Seminar
Session Intentions
To be made aware of the basic principles which underpin successful learning environments.
To examine teaching and learning in a range of contexts.
To consider the vital role of questioning in the classroom.
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Why Do People Ask Questions…?
DiscussDo questions vary in nature and complexity?Are they contextually embedded?Are they always necessary?When do you ask questions?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Devise 3 Questions to Ask About This Picture
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Why do Teachers Ask Questions?
Discuss
Why do we need to ask questions?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Questioning Needs To Be Productive
Open Probing Reflective Hypothetical [Values Perception]
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
What questions would a teacher want to ask?
Discuss with a partner and feed back to the main group.
Try to develop open questions which need further investigation rather than closed and limited questions.
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Teachers Ask Questions To…
Assess
Differentiate
Lead Teaching
Discuss how each of these 3 aspects might be seen in the classroom
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Reasons Given By Teachers For Asking Questions
To encourage thought, understand ideas, phenomena, procedures and values
To check understanding, knowledge and skills To gain attention to the task and to enable the teacher to move toward
the learning objective To review, reinforce, revise, recall and remind To manage, settling down, focus attention, warn To teach the whole class through pupil answers To give everyone a chance to answer To prompt bright pupils and encourage others To draw in shyer pupils To probe pupils after critical answers, redirect or ask other pupils To allow expressions of feelings or views of empathy
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Activity In pairs ask each other the following questions: Do you like school? Do you meet your friends during break? Is homework set every day? Do you eat school dinners? What do you like about school? Where do you go during break time? How much homework do you receive? What do you think of school dinners? Ask the rest of the group: Which questions generated the best
answers? Closed questions often prompt the short response: Yes or No. Open
questions are used because they encourage people to give more information.
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Teacher’s Approach
What is the link between the teacher’s approach to questioning and classroom climate?
Teachers need to : Plan questions – to have an idea of who is likely to be able to answer each question and each type of question – Why?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
A Positive Approach
Inclusive of all children Clear and unambiguous Presents an encouraging tone Allows children thinking time Personable [humour where appropriate] Motivates and sustains interest Accords dignity to children in phrasing an answer Allows them to have a go/contribute even if they may be wrong Displays consistency and fairness Models what you expect from the children Recognises the interpersonal nature of the exchange
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Unproductive Questioning -Possible Shortcomings
Asking too many superficial questions Asking too few questions Asking rhetorical questions in the presence of very young
pupils Use of inappropriate vocabulary Questions that are poorly expressed Delivering questions in a way which pupils fear giving a wrong
answer Several questions in a single statement Questions that begin hard and get harder Questions that are too simple
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Open Questions
Most questions asked by a teacher are closed – the teacher already knows the answer
Assessment for Learning encourages the asking of open questions that encourage children to respond having thought more deeply about the way they understand ideas and concepts
Possible open ended questions… How can we be sure that…? How would you explain…? What does that tell us about…? How do we know…? What is the same and what is different about…?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Response Time
The average response time for an answer for a question asked by a teacher is…?
1 second
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Take Up Time
One second is not enough for most children to understand the language in which the question has been given, relate the question to their prior learning which is going to enable them to formulate their reply, structure their reply and put their hands up.
Some teachers find the silence between asking and having a question answered difficult
Between 3-5 seconds is about right for dealing with most open questions
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Ted Wragg
Teachers and Questioning
http://www.teachers.tv/video/2619
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Levels of Questioning[Applying Bloom’s Taxonomy]
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Process1. Knowledge2. Comprehension3. Application4. Analysis5. Synthesis6. EvaluationLower Order – Recall of facts and informationHigher Order – Require reasoningStudies show that teachers use more lower than higher order questionsIt is important teachers use a mix of both
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Activity
Activity 2
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010http://excellence.qia.org.uk/GoldDust/questioning/print/Open%20and%20closed%20question
%20activity.pdf
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Key Tactics in Questioning
Structuring Pitching Directing Distributing Pausing Pacing Responding Listening to Replies
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Purposes Of Questioning
To find out what pupils already know or do not know To shape a line of argument by using pupils own ideas To check how well the pupil understands what is being
explained Eliciting concrete examples of principles or concepts Helping children develop a desire to enquire and learn further,
once the explanation is complete
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
The Purpose of Asking Questions
To involve pupils in the lesson To discover whether pupils possess specified forms
of knowledge To encourage pupils to think deeply about an issue To open up fresh areas of a theme or topic for
discovery To inspire creativity and imagination To help pupils ask their own questions
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Pupil Questions
Why do pupils ask so few questions?
What are the implications of this for your teaching?
Encouraging children to look and ask questions is an important part of teaching.
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Pupils Leading The Process
Look at the following slide of The Great Exhibition…
What questions might children ask about it?
How could you use these questions to develop an open/investigative activity with a KS2 Class?
What cross-curricular links might be possible?
Devise a possible approach with your partner and be prepared to share outcomes.
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
What questions might children have to ask about this slide?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Independent Study Task
In Reading Pack read Hayes (2004) “Effective Questioning” in Foundations of Primary Teaching.
Observe teachers’ use of questioning on SE – how do questions support learning.
Note effective questions – why do you consider them effective?
Consider your own questions – do you allow sufficient “wait” time?
KP Professional Practice 1 Semester 2 2010
Bibliography
Dean J [2001] Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom London: Routledge Falmer
Hayes D [2004] Foundation of Primary Teaching Abingdon: David FultonHayes D [2006] Inspiring Primary Teaching Exeter: Learning MattersJacques K and Hyland R [2007] Professional Studies Primary and Early
Years Exeter: Learning MattersKyriacou C 1998] Essential Teaching Skills Cheltenham: Nelson ThornesWragg E and Brown G [2001] Questioning in the Primary School London:
Routledge