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

2. 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
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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

7. “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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Thank you!