Costa’s Levels of Questioning

They ask A LOT of questions! What do young children do when they want to know something? They ask A LOT of questions!

Asking questions about things we don’t know is another way we learn new information The higher the level of the question, the higher the level of thinking and understanding you achieve.

LEVEL III LEVEL II LEVEL I There are three levels of questions and “academic vocabulary” you should be familiar with. LEVEL II LEVEL III LEVEL I

Level 1 Questions Level 1:The answer can be found in the text. The question asks for facts about what has been heard or read. Level 1 questions are not always easy to answer. There is such a thing as a hard level 1 question.

LEVEL I FACTUAL QUESTIONS: have only one answer answers found in the text very concrete info is recalled in the exact manner/form it was heard short answers (usually 1 or 2 words) LEVEL I

Gathering and recalling information: Level I questions start with: define, describe, identify, list, name observe, recite, scan, explain, review, locate, paraphrase LEVEL I

Examples of Level 1 Questions: What is the name of the holy book of Islam? List the characters in Harry Potter 3. Solve this math problem: x + 2 = 24

Level 2 Questions Level 2: The answer can be inferred from the text. Information can be broken down into parts. Involves examining in detail, analyzing motives or causes, making inferences, finding information to support generalizations or decision-making. Questions combine information in a new way.

LEVEL II INTERPRETIVE QUESTIONS more than one answer with evidence from the text more abstract; one must manipulate the information to find the answer examines motives or causes involves finding info. that supports generalizations or decision-making Short answer or essay LEVEL II

Making sense of the gathered information: Level II questions start with: analyze, compare, group, infer, contrast, sequence, illustrate, retell, synthesize, sort, diagram, summarize LEVEL II

Examples of Level 2 Questions: Compare and contrast Islam with Christianity. Sort this stack of books by genre and explain your process. Explain how to do a division problem (using words, not numbers).

Level 3 Questions Level 3: The answer goes beyond the text. This type of question is abstract and does not pertain to the text. These questions ask that judgments be made from information. They also give opinions about issues, judge the validity of ideas or other products and justify opinions and ideas.

LEVEL III EVALUATIVE / Thematic QUESTIONS answer goes beyond text applying information answer depends on personal experiences, values, interpretation of literature, etc. asks for judgments to be made from information gives opinions about issues, and judges validity of ideas Essay questions LEVEL III

Applying and evaluating information: Level III questions start with: apply, evaluate, hypothesize, imagine, judge, predict, speculate, compose, construct, critique LEVEL III

These questions require you really think, reflect, and write!!! What other solution was there other than war? LEVEL III Why should/shouldn’t all athletes be drug tested? Which character suffered the most?

Examples of Level 3 Questions: Predict what would happen if there was another Harry Potter book. Imagine that television was never invented. How would the world be different? What is your opinion on the death penalty? Why do you feel this way?

LEVEL III LEVEL II Real learning takes place in Levels II and III.

REVIEW: Applying and evaluating information LEVEL III Make sense of the information LEVEL II Gather and Recall information LEVEL I

Testing… Testing… You can distinguish between the three types of questions easily… First, begin answering the question… If it has only one answer, it is factual. If you begin talking about the text, the question is factual or interpretive. If it can be answered in more than one way and you have to explain it, it is interpretive. If you talk about your own experiences or values and go outside the text, it is evaluative.

Show Mrs. N the questions. Then complete your anchor activities. Now it’s your turn to write some questions of your own. Make up three questions for all three levels using the article we read last week about the “genius” 11-year-old freshman in college. Show Mrs. N the questions. Then complete your anchor activities.