Questioning Session 2

Why Do We Ask Questions???

Gather Information Develop interest and motivate students to become actively involved in the lesson Evaluate students’ preparation and check homework/seatwork completion Discover student knowledge, interests and experiences Guide student thinking and learning

Categorized as Narrow Questions/Cognitive Memory –Recall facts/correct answer Broad Questions –Call for complicated answers What color was the dress? Why did the Alamo fighters refuse to give up?

Convergent Questions –Are thought questions that call for a single correct answer If the circumference of the circle is 31 meters, what is the radius? What measures could be taken to stop crime in our neighborhood? Divergent Questions –Open ended thought questions that stimulate imagination and thinking, but have no correct answer

Evaluative questions –Call for students to pass judgment on some action. Should the Electoral College be abolished?

Levels of Questions Lowest –Gather and recall information –Key words or behaviors are : complete, count, define, describe, identify, list, match, name, observe, recall, recite, select List the members of the party?

Intermediate –Processing information –Key words or behaviors are : analyze, classify, compare, contrast, distinguish, explain, group, infer, make an analogy, organize, plan, synthesize Compare and contrast the two themes in…?

Highest –Applying or evaluating in new situations –Key words or behaviors are : apply, build, evaluate, extrapolate, forecast, generalize, hypothesize, imagine, judge, predict, speculate How would you apply, what evidence do you have etc..?

Techniques for Good Questioning Plan your questions –Write in lesson plans –Readiness level, interest or learning profile of students –Match the question with the level of thinking you expect of the students

Implement your questions –Ask you question before calling on a student for a response –Allow students “wait time” and “think time” –Call on boys and girls equally –Require student to raise their hands to answer –Involve as many students as possible in a Q-A discussion session

General Resources – George Lucas Foundationhttp://glef.org/php/keyword.php?id= lesson plans, video on demand, prof developmenthttp:// - questioninghttp:// - using the Internet effectively, on-line training moduleshttp:// - a site for life-long learnershttp:// - lessons and web resources for K-12 classroom teachershttp://