QUESTIONING STRATEGIES

An article From "Whats The Big Idea?"

November 2006
K!2 Alliance"West#d
$%osted &ith %ermission o' Kath( )i *anna +K)i*ann,&ested-org.- A%ril 2/0 20012
A good question is worth a thousand thoughts
Good questioning requires skill and planning.
$#dTho3ghts0 Aimee Kr3ger and 4ohn 53tton0 200!2
63alit( teaching and learning incl3des the art and s7ill o' 83estioning- 9:3h?; (o3 sa(0
9:avent &e been here be'ore? This is <3st old st3''-;
A3 contraire= 63estions are the basic bloc7s o' good teaching and learning- Witho3t them0
nothing &o3ld be e>%lored and &ed all be in the dar7? &ith them0 the &orld @ and o3r
classrooms are a more im%ressive and d(namic %lace-
We as teachers m3st recogniAe that &hen &e im%rove the 83alit( o' o3r 83estions to st3dents0
&e are not onl( %rom%ting dee%er tho3ght0 b3t &e are enco3raging st3dent disco3rse-
B' co3rse0 both goals hold st3dents acco3ntable &ith %rod3cts $e-g-0 noteboo70 &hiteboards2
that can clearl( demonstrate their 3nderstanding-
In this article &e e>amine the role o' 83estioning bet&een the teacher and the st3dent-
Teachers 3se a variet( o' 83estions &ithin their da(toda( classroom activities incl3ding
lo&level (es"no 83estions0 sim%le recall 83estions0 rhetorical 83estions and leading
83estions $(o3 7no&C&hen 83er(ing st3dents 'or a &ord and giving the hint 9starts
&ith;C2- These t(%es o' 83estions ma7e minimal demands on st3dent thin7ing-
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
$eacher to
%t&dent
%t&dent to
%t&dent
%t&dent
'rod&ct
B3r goal is to decrease these interchanges and 9get better; at as7ing and %robing 'or st3dent
3nderstanding- We have 'o3nd that %robing dee%er 'or st3dent 3nderstanding is a challenge
'or both novice and e>%erienced teachers-
:o& does the teacher reall( 7no&0 based on a st3dent res%onse0 &hen conce%t3al
3nderstanding is evident? When do st3dent res%onses seem to sho& 3nderstanding b3t
%robing reveals misconce%tions? Where and &hen does the teacher ma7e a decision to as7
'ollo&on %robing 83estions? What t(%e o' 83estion &ill be the most e''ective 'or the
%3r%ose?
B3r classrooms need to be %laces &here teacher 83estioning is %3r%ose'3l and meaning'3l?
this re83ires a shi't in thin7ing as noted belo& in Fig- !
Fig. 1 Quality Teaher Questions
!ess O" #ore O"
*a%id 'ire teacher 83estions
63estions directed to the &hole class0 &ith
'e& st3dents res%onding-
63estions that as7 st3dents to state small
%ieces o' 7no&ledge 3nrelated to the larger
conte>t-
63estions that as7 &hat st3dents 7no&
63estions &ith 83ic7 ans&ers-
63estions limited to c3rrent 3nderstanding
Dlan activities in a lesson
Tho3ght'3l 83estions that are lin7ed to
%3sh st3dent thin7ing
63estions directed to st3dent %artners or
small gro3%s-
63estions that re83ire connections bet&een
and among conce%ts
63estions that as7 ho& st3dents 7no&-
63estions &ith &ait time 'or st3dent
thin7ing
63estions that e>tend 3nderstanding to a
ne& conte>t
Dlan 83estions in the activities based on
e>%ected and 3ne>%ected st3dent res%onses-
#o$ing Toward %#ore&
Eoogle 983estions; and (o3 &ill 'ind a %lethora o' articles that are over&helming and da3nting-
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
Fet0 there is a theme r3nning thro3gh man( o' the articlesG changes in teacher 83estioning
%ractice are rare- For e>am%le0 Walsh and 5tattes $200H2 indicate that research cond3cted 'or
more than !00 (ears abo3t teachers 3se o' 83estioning strategies sho& that ver( little has
changed in classroom %ractice-
Fet0 &e 7no& that 83estions %romote st3dent learning and that teachers sho3ld %lan their
83estions be'ore as7ing them to ens3re that 83estions match the teachers learning goals- These
83estions sho3ld re83ire st3dents to engaging in higherlevel thin7ing- A 'e& care'3ll( %re%ared
or selected 83estions are %re'erable to large n3mber o' 83estions- $Walsh I 5tattes0 200H %- !22-
:ere are t&o strategies that &e have 'o3nd e''ective in increasing the 83alit( o' teacher 83estions
and st3dent 3nderstanding- The 'irst addresses the level o' 83estion the teacher as7s- The second
has to do &ith the 'ollo&on 83estion to 3nderstand st3dent thin7ing-
Question le$els
Jevel o' 83estions re'ers to the t(%e o' 9brain engagement; the st3dent does- An input 83estion
as7ing a sim%le 'act $e-g-0 ho& man( bones are there in the h3man bod(?2 re83ires little
engagement- The st3dent either 7no&s or does not 7no& the ans&er-
A process 83estion that as7s st3dent to com%are and contrast $e-g-0 com%are the %elvic str3ct3re
o' a bi%edal and 83adra%edal animal2 engages the st3dents brain in see7ing %atterns bet&een and
among their 'acts"conce%ts-
An output 83estion that as7s st3dents to a%%l( their 3nderstanding in a ne& sit3ation or to
s(nthesiAe and eval3ate their 7no&ledge stretches their conce%t3al 'rame&or7-
The 7e( 'or teachers moving bet&een and among in%3t0 %rocess and o3t%3t 83estions is
lin7ed to the 83estions %3r%ose in g3iding st3dent thin7ing- In%3t 83estions that 'oc3s
st3dents on attention to detail in an observation can %rovide the basis 'or lin7ing a small 'act
to a larger conce%t-
Ksing all three levels o' 83estions @ in%3t0 %rocess and o3t%3t s3%%ort 'indings 'rom How
People Learn $Brans'ord et al-0 !LLL2 that describe an 9e>%ert; as one &hoG

$a2 has a dee% 'o3ndation o' 'act3al 7no&ledge0
$b2 3nderstands 'acts and ideas in the conte>t o' a conce%t3al 'rame&or70 and
$c2 organiAes 7no&ledge in &a(s that 'acilitate retrieval and a%%lication-
Teachers sho3ld hel% st3dents become 'amiliar &ith the di''erent levels o' thin7ing and hel%
them be a&are o' the 7ind o' thin7ing re83ired b( the 83estion $Walsh I 5tattes0 200H %- !M2-
Bne &a( to accom%lish this is to be overt abo3t (o3r 83estioning levels- Fig3re 2 lists verbs
'or 83estions that hel% categoriAe the level o' 83estion being as7ed- Many K-12 lliance
teac!ers !a"e enlarged t!is c!art and posted in t!eir roo# as a reminder 'or them and their
st3dents o' the level o' thin7ing being as7ed 'or and 3sed in the disc3ssion-
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
Fig. ' !e$els o" Questions
IN(UT
com%lete list observe identi'(
co3nt locate recite
de'ine match select
describe name tell
(RO)ESS
anal(Ae arrange re%ort arrange
e>%lain se%arate classi'( gro3%
se83ence combine in'er sho&
com%are invent ca3se"e''ect contrast
analog( relationshi% constr3ct organiAe
s3mmariAe disting3ish %lan s(nthesiAe
estimate %rod3ce 3se &rite
OUT(UT
eval3ate imagine b3ild model
e>%and <3dge choose s%ec3late
e>tra%olate %redict create 'orecast
%ro<ect decide generaliAe recommend
disc3ss h(%othesiAe a%%l( %rinci%le
Follow on questions
While (o3 might thin7 that as7ing a good 83estion is the tic7et to %3sh st3dent thin7ing0 &e
7no& that st3dent ans&ers o'ten reveal onl( %artial 3nderstanding- Fre83entl( the st3dent
reveals %artial 3nderstanding and onl( sho&s the misconce%tion on %robing $see Fig-!2 o' a
conce%t- 5t3dents o'ten give res%onses that indicate an a%%earance o' 3nderstanding0 b3t on
o3r re'lection leaves 3s &ondering0 9:o& e>actl( are the( thin7ing abo3t the to%ic?;
The bottom line is that in order to 3nderstand st3dent thin7ing0 (o3 have to as7 more 83alit(
83estions that contin3e &ith the st3dents line o' reasoning0 %3shing and %robing 'or
3nderl(ing ass3m%tions0 alternate conce%tions and %artial 3nderstanding- We call these t(%es
o' 83estions 9'ollo& on; beca3se the( 'ollo& the st3dents lead-
Follo& on 83estions %robe 'or st3dent thin7ing- Drobing can be 3sed to hel% st3dentsG
Nlari'(G to ma7e something clearer b( e>%laining it in greater detail? %ara%hrase0 ma7e
more acc3rate
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
*edirectG to 'oc3s attention on another as%ect o' the %henomena
53mmariAeG to state the main ideas? s(nthesiAe to a bigger idea
#>tendG to a%%l( to a ne& sit3ation
*e'lectG to thin7 abo3t? active %ersistent and care'3l consideration
The teacher selects the 83estion based on &hat needs to be 93ncovered; in the st3dents
thin7ing- For e>am%le0 i' the teacher is 3nclear abo3t &hat a st3dent is sa(ing0 clari'ication
might be the best t(%e o' 83estion to 3se? i' the teacher &ants to 7no& ho& a st3dent is in
%3tting several ideas together0 then s3mmariAing might be the best t(%e o' 83estion-
The 'ollo&ing transcri%t sho&s the %o&er o' 3sing 'ollo&on 83estions to hel% st3dents
artic3late their thin7ing and ma7e %o&er'3l connection-
*ialogue +ith Quality Questioning
In a 'o3rth grade classroom0 st3dents had been e>%loring &ith batteries0 b3lbs and &ires and
disc3ssing ho& and &h( a com%lete circ3it &or7s- The teacher %osed the 83estion 9Wh( did
the light b3lb light?; to %airs o' st3dents as he observed them &or7ing0 The teacher &anted to
see i' the st3dents had a conce%t3al 3nderstanding o' &hat a com%lete circ3it incl3des and
ho& it enables a light b3lb to light-
Teacher $T2G $!y did t!e lig!t %ul% lig!t&
5t3dent ! $5!2G 'ecause it is a co#plete circuit.
TG $clari'(2 ()plain w!at you #ean %y co#plete circuit.
*1+ ,t is w!en electricity goes in a circle.
-+ .re/lect0 1oes it !a"e to %e a circle& 2ould it %e anot!er s!ape&
*2 3es4 it is always a circle.
-+ .clari/y0 re t!eir parts in your circle& $!at are t!e parts& *1+ %attery4 a wire and a
%ul%.
-+ .redirect0 $!at would !appen i/ we placed t!e parts in a square& $ould it %e possi%le
/or t!e %ul% to lig!t&
*2+ 5t3dent hesitatesCthen sa(s5yes4 t!e %ul% could lig!t in a square.
TG $clari'(2 How do t!e parts !elp #ake t!e lig!t %ul% lig!t& 5!G 6ne wire needs- to touc!
t!e #etal part on t!e %otto# o/ t!e lig!t %ul% and one end o/ t!e %attery4 and one wire needs
to touc! t!e #etal on t!e side o/ t!e lig!t %ul% and t!e ot!er side o/ t!e %attery
-+ .su##ari7e0 How would you add t!is in/or#ation to your idea o/ a co#plete circuit&
*1. *o parts need to %e connected in a co#plete circuit.
- .pro%e0 2an you t!ink o/ anot!er s!ape /or t!e co#plete circle in addition to a circle or a
square&
*1+ triangle could also %e t!e s!ape /or t!e circuit.
TG $e>tend2 $!at i/ you !ad two lig!t %ul%s& $!at would you need to do now to lig!t %ot! o/
t!e#&
52G $e #ig!t need #ore %atteries.
5!G 6r #ore wires.
TG $re'lect2 -!ink a%out !ow you could test your idea.
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
52G , t!ink we s!ould try to !ook up %ot! %ul%s to two %atteries. $st3dents tr( and 'ind the(
dont have eno3gh &ires2
TG $redirect2 How #ig!t you do t!is wit! one %attery& How #any wires would you need&
5!G , see !ow we can connect t!e two %ul%s wit! one wire and t!en eac! %ul% to an end o/ t!e
%attery. $e need t!ree wires.
T!G $53mmariAe2 How is t!is circuit like t!e /irst one you #ade&
52G -!ey %ot! #ade t!e lig!t %ul%s lig!t.
5!G -!e circuits were co#plete %ecause t!e electricity went in a pat! w!en connecting t!e
%ul%s4 wires and %atteries t!e rig!t way.
Ji7e levels o' 83estions0 'ollo&on 83estions sho3ld be %lanned in advance o' teaching based on
st3dent e>%ected res%onses- Fig3re M is 3se'3l in %rethin7ing 83estions- Dlace the 'irst 83estion
in the center o' the 9&heel; and then list %ossible e>%ected st3dent res%onses in the 'irst circle-
)ecide &hat %robes &o3ld be necessar( in order to hel% st3dents clari'(0 re'lect0 s3mmariAe0 or
e>tend their thin7ing- Write these 83estions0 incl3ding ones that hel% redirect st3dents0 in the
o3ter circle- Then &hen teaching0 7ee% the &heel hand( 'or %lanned 83estions based on st3dent
res%onses-
Ksing these t&o strategiesOlevels o' 83estions and 'ollo& on 83estions0 teachers can ill3minate
st3dent thin7ing and instill habits o' mind that b3ild the 'o3ndation 'or a li'etime o' learning(
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
Fig. , Follow On
(lanning +heel
Reprinted from K-12 Alliance/WestEd Whats the Big Idea? Noem!er 2""#
Wh) did the
light !&l! light?
*larif)
E+tend
Reflect
Re-,irect
%&mmari-e
It is a complete
circ&it
E+plain .hat a
complete circ&it is
I hoo/ed &p a
!atter)0 !&l! and
.ire
%ho. me another
.a) to light the
!&l!
$here are t.o
!atteries0 .ires
and a !&l!
1o. did )o&
fig&re it o&t?
It is a circle
1oo/ eer)thing in a
line
What is )o&r r&le?
What if the circ&it
.as a s2&are?