1. Effective Questioning

2. Ways of Questioning
There are six levels of learning according to Dr. Bloom
The levels build on one another. The six levels all have to do with thinking.
Level one is the lowest level of thinking of thinking
Level six is the highest level of thinking
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation

3. Effective Questioning
TYPES OF EFFECTIVE QUESTIONS
Here are some types of questions that tend to facilitate thoughtful, sustained discussions:
Analysis (seeing patterns, organization of parts, recognition of hidden meanings, identification of components )
Questions beginning with “Why…” “How would you explain…” “What is the importance of…” “What is the meaning of”
Example: What important facts should we know about the main character in your novel?
What impact does the setting have on your character? How does this impact the character’s decisions in the novel?
What is the importance of understanding the war and why is this important to your character’s motivation?

4. Effective Questioning
Compare and Contrast (compare and discriminate between ideas, assess value of theories, presentations, make choices based on reasoned argument, verify value of evidence, recognize subjectivity)
“Compare…” “Contrast…” “What is the difference between…” “What is the similarity between…”
Example: What differences are we starting to see amongst the main characters that we have talked about today?
What similarities are we starting to see amongst some of the characters that we have talked about today?
What is the difference between what we know about the Jews/Germans and how your character is presented in the novel that you are reading?

5. Effective questioning
Synthesis (use old ideas to create new ones, generalize from given facts, relate knowledge from several areas, predict, draw conclusions )
“What are the causes/results of…” “What connection is there between…”
Example: What is the cause of your character’s problem in the story?
What connection is there between your character and some the real life people that had to deal with similar situations during wars?
Based on the history that we know about WWI or WWII, did your character have an opportunity to avoid their situation?
Clarification
“What is meant by…” “Explain how…”

6. Not so effective questioning
Simple Yes-No
Produces little discussion and encourages guessing.
Example: “Is Bruno a boy?”
Elliptical
Too vague; it is not clear what is being asked.
Examples: “What about Bruno’s mother?” “Well, what do you think about Paul Baumer’s values?”

7. Not so effective questioning
Leading
Conveys the expected answer.
Example: “Don’t you think that Marie-Laure is upset with her father when he left her at her uncle’s house?”  
Slanted
Closes down student who may not agree with the implied assumption.
Example: “Why are German’s all bad?”

8. Helpful hints if you are the discussion leader
Facilitate, Don’t Dominate
Use open-ended questions and ask group members for clarification, examples, and definitions.
Summarize group member’s responses without taking a stand one way or another. The stand is for the purpose of furthering the discussion.
Invite group members to address one another and not always “go through” you.
Consider taking notes of main points on paper or your tablet, but, if you do, write everyone’s ideas down.
Toward the end of the discussion, review the main ideas, the thread of the discussion, and conclusions.

13. Work Cited
For Better of for Worse. Accessed on October 9th 2017