1. THE ART OF QUESTIONING SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – JUNE 10, 2016

2. Good learning starts with questions—not answers!  We ask questions to:  Focus attention  Spur thinking  Check for understanding  Engage minds  Direct behavior  Set the stage  Review & summarize  Extend ideas  Motivate  Develop critical thinking skills

3. QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES  Pause after asking a question (“wait time”)  Avoid questions with yes/no answers  Avoid answering your own questions  Follow up student response with “Why” or “How”  Acknowledge correct responses  Rephrase question or ask more probing questions:  “Good, now can someone give another example?”  “Does someone else have an opinion?”  “Does anyone disagree?”  After a student has responded, ask another student if he/she can “add to it.”

4. MORE QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES  Paraphrase response and ask for clarification  Note correct parts of response  Limit “recall” questions; work up to higher level thinking questions  Don’t call on a particular student before asking the question  Avoid asking for verbal group responses  Ask questions that are open-ended  Ask probing questions to help students answer their own question  If a student answers in a soft tone, repeat the response so everyone can know the answer  Vary questioning techniques

5. WAIT TIME  Wait Time #1 – time after asking question, before calling on student. Wait 3+ seconds before calling on student.  Wait Time #2 – time after calling on student, before moving on. Wait 3+ seconds. Student must have time to process thinking before responding.  NOTE: 20 seconds wait time is punishing!!!  NOTE: Average wait time is less than one second

6. ORAL QUESTIONS AND HOW TO IMPROVE THEM  The “yes/no” question:  Q: Does everyone remember Mendel’s Law?  Replace with Q: What does Mendel’s Law tell us?  The “run-on” question:  Q: What does it mean that he’s a Romantic? Do you remember what Burkes said about Romanticism? What did your other textbook say? Well, who were the Romantics studying?  Replace with Q: Your two textbooks have slightly different definitions of Romanticism. Look over your notes for their definitions and try to come up with one that will include their main points plus your own understanding of what this means.

7. More Oral Questions and How to Improve Them  Question with a “programmed” answer  Q: Do you think the proceedings were too lengthy? That partisan politics play too great a role?  Replace with Q: What thoughts do you have about impeachment?  The “put-down” question:  Q: O.K., we went over this twice in lecture yesterday, and I just did it again on the board. Any more questions?  Replace with Q: I’ve gone over this concept several times with you because it really is a difficult one. I’m sure that some of you might still be a little shaky. It’s very understandable that you might still have some question about it. Ask them now if you’d like or stop me for a moment after class.  The “fuzzy” question:  Q: Do you sort of understand the idea behind this?  Replace with Q: What is the principle behind collective bargaining?

8. THE TEACHER’S ROLE  Encourage students to ask questions  Praise those who ask questions  Ask “What are the questions” frequently  Do we understand better by memorizing facts and processes or by thinking deeply about them?  Do we think more deeply about things when we have an issue, problem, or question?  Can we deepen understanding by asking instead of telling?  Listen attentively  Make eye contact  Use nonverbal gestures but don’t interrupt. Wait, wait, wait  Focus attention on the student

9. CRITICAL ASPECTS OF GOOD QUESTIONING  Questions must be of interest to students  Difficulty of questions should be incremental  Questions must be logical; i.e., leading to some point  Question must be designed to get student to see the point.

10. BLOOM’S TAXONOMY  HANDOUT  ANY QUESTIONS?