Use of Socratic Questions to Develop Functional Literacy of secondary school students Rakhymzhanova Bayan, Center of Excellence, Kazakhstan Rakhymzhanova Kamilya, NIS Kokshetau, Kazakhstan

Thinking is Driven by Questions Why? - Definition of the task of developing functional literacy of students State Program of Education Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011-2020. 1. The results of the assessment of 15-year-old students (program for International student Assessment- PISA) 2. The program of teacher training courses in the framework of updating the content of education in Kazakhstan (following Japanese /British experience) Research question: How to develop functional literacy of students to meet the requirements of modern education? Objective: To identify the effect of the teacher posing the Socratic questions on the level of a meaningful understanding of educational material by students Subject of research: the development of functional literacy of students Objectives of the study: -the study of theoretical approaches to the definition of functional literacy - case studies of teachers involved in the development of functional literacy of students -study of the use of Socratic issues by teachers in their class -the study of the influence of posing Socratic questions on the ability to argue

Research methods: - Study of pedagogical literature - Pedagogical observation - Interview Volunteer group members -teachers of secondary schools Stages of research: Stage 1 - the study of literature and experience of teachers Stage 2 - discussion of the question “In what ways is it possible to improve the functional literacy of students?" Stage 3- preliminary diagnosis of asking questions in the classroom. Stage 4 - planning questions in a lesson Stage 5 - Observation of Lessons Stage 6 - discussion of the results of the use of questions Stage 7 - re-planning

Literacy Functional literacy 21st century skills LS volunteer teams LP_Mood (lesson plan) Ordinary set of questions: -Why do you think so? -Can you give an example from your life experience? -Explain, please…? Computer studies (lesson plan) History (lesson plan) Biology (lesson plan) subject grade № questions Type (textbook/teacher) English (L2) 11 4 S +/- 3 7 NS + Computer studies 9 5 World study Biology 10 1 Chemistry 8 6 1S History NS/S № What methods would you choose to use at your lesson to develop functional literacy ? Put a tick Group work 5% Asking questions (socratic) 65 % Graphs reading 2% Work with texts 17% Tests developing - Critical thinking strategies 3% Non-standard tasks 6% Another -PISA tasks

of Socratic Questions in Lesson Plans The chosen method of observing: Study/development of Socratic Questions in Lesson Plans 1. Clarification questions 2. Questions about an initial question or issue 3. Assumption questions 4. Reason and evidence questions 5. Origin or source questions 6. Implication and consequence questions 7. Viewpoint questions The chosen method of observing: Writing transcripts Observation 1 Observation2 Teachers interview (video) Start following the sequence (A,B,C) Students’ voice It is easier to answer SQs individually 22% in pair s 23% in groups 45% It is easier to answer SQ-s 65 % to ask SQ-s 35 % SQ-s are useful to learn Yes 100% No - SQs help to think

“Questions about questions” (students talk) Teacher interview 2 “Questions about questions” (students talk) Did the Socratic questions (SQs) help to understand the theme better? Why? -They make us think; we learn something new; you begin to understand how the process goes; you “get included into the theme”. 2. Are SQs connected with life?- yes, we can give examples 3. What is easier, making or answering questions? –it depends, 1-2

Post-lesson observation discussion Yes or No? For teachers: Method of transcribing is effective; teachers should learn the types of SQ-s, practice them consistently, remembering the sequence of SQs, let students make up their own SQs, give opportunities to work collaboratively; give more time to think over SQs For students: Using Socratic questions Evokes interest to the subject learning; helps to learn to think, reflect and organize ideas; gives the opportunity not only to master information, but also operate it; during discussion students develop “patterns” in speech which are used by them afterwards in their speech; improves relationships between teachers and students; students make logical models; students start thinking from practical point of view

Activities Results Conducting a survey of teachers' opinions on the choice of methods and techniques for the development of functional literacy of students Method of developing Socratic questions is chosen Among the 7 proposed methods Carrying out the diagnosis of questions given by teachers in the classroom. About 80% of the questions are closed, 20% - open Discussion of the quantity and quality of teacher questions in classroom, as well as the impact on the development of students' thinking skills We came to the conclusion that the use of low-order questions by a teacher does not allow students to expand their thinking skills and, consequently, affect the level of functional literacy Various types of Socratic issues have been studied. It was decided to use 7 types of Socratic issues. Studied how to organize questions in the lesson Began to learn to plan asking questions in a lesson in a consistent way Studying/examining examples of the use of Socratic questions Developed lessons using seven types of Socratic questions Organization of observation of students learning using structured observation/ transcribing Selected observation method through transcribing lessons as the most effective. Observation discussion It is revealed that teachers began to distinguish between the goals of different types of questions It is revealed that the students began to reflect, to present their point of view, to argue and prove

What we achieved Before After Teachers did not pay attention to the quantity and quality of questions asked in class Teachers analyze the quantity and quality of questions in their classroom. Teachers planned lesson assignments Teachers began to plan questions for the lesson Teachers had not studied the theoretical material on developing questions in classroom Teachers studied Internet material, theorists and school teachers articles Teachers knew several kinds of questions, but were not aware of the Socratic approach. Teachers learned types of Socratic issues Teachers ask questions for students to complete Teachers plan using the technique of consistently posing questions (from preliminary to basic questions) Teachers did not identify the qualitative difference in questions Teachers use 7 types of Socratic questions Teachers didn’t discuss how the teacher’s questions affect the change in students ’thinking Teachers discuss changes in students' thinking

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