The Art of The Art of QuestioningQuestioning

Presented by:

Mrs. Estelita V. Llanita

Lasallian Master Teacher

EXERCISE

What questions can you draw out from the image?

The unexamined life is not worth –living… the most important thing is to ask question….

Socrates (Σωκράτης)

"I know you won't believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others."

SOCRATIC METHOD

dialectic method of inquiry or method of "elenchus,"

to solve a problem, it would be broken to solve a problem, it would be broken down into a series of questionsdown into a series of questions

the answers to which gradually distill the the answers to which gradually distill the answer you seek. answer you seek.

6 types of questions that

Socrates asked his students

Conceptual clarification Conceptual clarification questionsquestions

--Why are you saying that? Why are you saying that?

-What exactly does this mean? -What exactly does this mean?

-How does this relate to what we have been -How does this relate to what we have been talking about? talking about?

More…

What is the nature of ...? What is the nature of ...?

-What do we already know about this? -What do we already know about this?

-Can you give me an example?-Can you give me an example?

-Are you saying ... or ... ?-Are you saying ... or ... ?

-Can you rephrase that, please?-Can you rephrase that, please?

Probing assumptionsProbing assumptions

What else could we assume? What else could we assume? You seem to be assuming ... ?You seem to be assuming ... ? How did you choose those assumptions?How did you choose those assumptions? Please explain why/how ... ?Please explain why/how ... ? How can you verify or disprove that assumption? How can you verify or disprove that assumption? What would happen if ... ?What would happen if ... ? Do you agree or disagree with ... ?Do you agree or disagree with ... ?

Probing rationale, reasons and Probing rationale, reasons and evidenceevidence

Why is that happening? Why is that happening? How do you know this?How do you know this? Show me ... ?Show me ... ? Can you give me an example of that? Can you give me an example of that? What do you think causes ... ? What do you think causes ... ? What is the nature of this?What is the nature of this? Are these reasons good enough?Are these reasons good enough?

More..

Would it stand up in court?Would it stand up in court? How might it be refuted?How might it be refuted? How can I be sure of what you are saying? How can I be sure of what you are saying? Why is ... happening? Why is ... happening?

And more

Why? (keep asking it -- you'll never get Why? (keep asking it -- you'll never get past a few times)past a few times)

What evidence is there to support what What evidence is there to support what you are saying?you are saying?

On what authority are you basing your On what authority are you basing your argument?argument?

Questioning viewpoints and Questioning viewpoints and perspectivesperspectives

Another way of looking at this is ..., does Another way of looking at this is ..., does this seem reasonable?this seem reasonable?

What alternative ways of looking at this What alternative ways of looking at this are there? are there?

Why it is ... necessary? Why it is ... necessary? Who benefits from this? Who benefits from this? What is the difference between... and...? What is the difference between... and...?

More

Why is it better than ...? Why is it better than ...? What are the strengths and weaknesses What are the strengths and weaknesses

of...? of...? How are ... and ... similar?How are ... and ... similar? What would ... say about it?What would ... say about it? What if you compared ... and ... ?What if you compared ... and ... ? How could you look another way at this?How could you look another way at this?

Probe implications and Probe implications and consequencesconsequences

Then what would happen?Then what would happen? What are the consequences of that What are the consequences of that

assumption? assumption? How could ... be used to ... ? How could ... be used to ... ?

More

What are the implications of ... ? What are the implications of ... ? How does ... affect ... ? How does ... affect ... ? How does ... fit with what we learned How does ... fit with what we learned

before? before? Why is ... important? Why is ... important? What is the best ... ? Why? What is the best ... ? Why?

Questions about the questionQuestions about the question

What was the point of asking that What was the point of asking that question? question?

Why do you think I asked this Why do you think I asked this question?question?

What does that mean? What does that mean?

The art of questioningThe art of questioning

QuestioningQuestioning is an integral part of an is an integral part of an inquiry centered classroom. inquiry centered classroom.

It is a learner’s thinking tool to carry out It is a learner’s thinking tool to carry out investigation about a subject matter. investigation about a subject matter.

The power to question is vested The power to question is vested with the teacher who uses this with the teacher who uses this tool to either approve or tool to either approve or disapprove of children’s disapprove of children’s knowledge thus empowering or knowledge thus empowering or disempowering them. disempowering them.

GENERAL GUIDELINESGENERAL GUIDELINES

1.1. Distribute questions so that all, including Distribute questions so that all, including non-volunteers, are involved.non-volunteers, are involved.

2.2. Balance factual and thought-provoking Balance factual and thought-provoking questions. questions.

3.3. Ask both simple and exacting questions Ask both simple and exacting questions

4.4. Encourage lengthy responses and Encourage lengthy responses and sustained answers. sustained answers.

GENERAL GUIDELINESGENERAL GUIDELINES

5. Stimulate critical thinking 5. Stimulate critical thinking

6. Use the overhead technique: 1) question, 6. Use the overhead technique: 1) question, 2) pause, 3) name. 2) pause, 3) name.

7. Insure audibility, then refuse to repeat 7. Insure audibility, then refuse to repeat questions or answers questions or answers

8. If a student asks a question, don't answer 8. If a student asks a question, don't answer it until you've asked the class it until you've asked the class

GENERAL GUIDELINESGENERAL GUIDELINES

8. Personalize questions 8. Personalize questions

10. Suggest partnership by inquiring 10. Suggest partnership by inquiring

Levels of thinking skillsLevels of thinking skillsLow level thinking Low level thinking High level thinkingHigh level thinking

Lower Level Thinking SkillsLower Level Thinking Skills

APPLICATION APPLICATION UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE

Upper /Higher Level Thinking SkillUpper /Higher Level Thinking Skill

EVALUATION EVALUATION SYNTHESIS SYNTHESIS ANALYSIS ANALYSIS

Critical Thinking WheelCritical Thinking Wheel

Students need to learn Students need to learn how to process how to process information rather than information rather than merely memorize merely memorize information. information.

 What’s in a question, you ask?

Answer…

Everything. It is a way of evoking stimulating response or stultifying

inquiry. It is, in essence, the very core of teaching.

—John Dewey (1933)

Learning has two sides:Learning has two sides:Knowledge/InformationKnowledge/InformationQuestioning/YearningQuestioning/Yearning

Xue Xi

FIVE BASIC TYPES OF FIVE BASIC TYPES OF QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

FactualFactual ConvergentConvergent DivergentDivergent EvaluativeEvaluative CombinationCombination

Questioning techniqueQuestioning technique

•The teacher should begin by obtaining the attention of the students before the question is asked.

•The question should be addressed to the entire class before a specific student is asked to respond.

Questioning techniqueQuestioning technique

•Calls for responses should be distributed among volunteers and non-volunteers, and the teacher should encourage students to speak to the whole class when responding.

•However, the teacher must be sensitive to each student's willingness to speak publicly and never put a student on the spot

1. 1. FactualFactual

Soliciting reasonably simple, straight Soliciting reasonably simple, straight forward answers based on obvious facts forward answers based on obvious facts or awareness. or awareness.

The lowest level of cognitive or affective The lowest level of cognitive or affective processes and answers are frequently processes and answers are frequently either right or wrong. either right or wrong.

ExampleExample

What is the What is the former name of former name of Jakarta?Jakarta?

Answer: BataviaAnswer: Batavia

More exampleMore example

Name the Shakespeare Name the Shakespeare play about the Prince of play about the Prince of DenmarkDenmark

Answer: HamletAnswer: Hamlet

2. 2. ConvergentConvergent

Answers to these types of questions are Answers to these types of questions are usually within a very finite range of usually within a very finite range of acceptable accuracy acceptable accuracy

These may be at several different levels of These may be at several different levels of cognition cognition

3. 3. DivergentDivergent

These questions allow students to explore These questions allow students to explore different avenues and create many different avenues and create many different variations and alternative different variations and alternative answers or scenarios answers or scenarios

ExampleExample

In the love relationship of Hamlet and In the love relationship of Hamlet and Ophelia, what might have happened to Ophelia, what might have happened to their relationship and their lives if Hamlet their relationship and their lives if Hamlet had not been so obsessed with the had not been so obsessed with the revenge of his father's death?revenge of his father's death?

More exampleMore example

Like many authors throughout time, Like many authors throughout time, Shakespeare dwells partly on the pain of Shakespeare dwells partly on the pain of love in Hamlet. Why is painful love so love in Hamlet. Why is painful love so often intertwined with good literature. What often intertwined with good literature. What is its never ending appeal to readers? is its never ending appeal to readers? 

4.4. Evaluative Evaluative

These types of These types of questions usually require questions usually require sophisticated levels of sophisticated levels of cognitive and/or cognitive and/or emotional judgment.emotional judgment.

ExamplesExamples

a. What are the similarities and differences a. What are the similarities and differences between the deaths of Ophelia when between the deaths of Ophelia when compared to that of Juliet?compared to that of Juliet?

b. What are the similarities and differences b. What are the similarities and differences between Roman gladiatorial games and between Roman gladiatorial games and modern football?modern football?

More exampleMore example

c. Why and how might the concept of c. Why and how might the concept of Piagetian schema be related to the Piagetian schema be related to the concepts presented in Jungian personality concepts presented in Jungian personality theory, and why might this be important to theory, and why might this be important to consider in teaching and learning?consider in teaching and learning?

ExampleExample

On reflecting over the entirety of the play On reflecting over the entirety of the play Hamlet, what were the main reasons why Hamlet, what were the main reasons why Ophelia went mad?Ophelia went mad?

( This is not specifically stated in one direct ( This is not specifically stated in one direct statement in the text of Hamlet. Here the statement in the text of Hamlet. Here the reader must make simple inferences as to reader must make simple inferences as to why she committed suicide.)why she committed suicide.)

5. Combinations5. Combinations

These are questions that blend any These are questions that blend any combination of the above.combination of the above.

Figure 1. Categories of Questions

Category 1Category 1 Category 2Category 2

FactualFactualClosedClosedConvergentConvergent

Lower Lower levellevelLow orderLow orderLow inquiryLow inquiry

Higher Higher cognitivecognitiveOpenOpenDivergentDivergentHigher levelHigher levelHigh orderHigh orderHigh inquiryHigh inquiry

some tips on questioning some tips on questioning techniques to enhance active techniques to enhance active

learning:learning:

1. Ask Challenging Questions1. Ask Challenging Questions

2. Ask Well-Crafted, Open-Ended 2. Ask Well-Crafted, Open-Ended QuestionsQuestions

3. Ask Uncluttered Questions3. Ask Uncluttered Questions

4. Learn to Wait4. Learn to Wait

5. Presentation5. Presentation