1. QUESTIONING: Types & Techniques
Aspects of Instruction
QUESTIONING: Types & Techniques

2. Questioning occurs in all aspects of life.
80% of classroom talk is questions
Some teachers ask more than 100 every hour!!
(Borich, 1992)
Introduction:
Questioning occurs in all aspects of life and in all fields
Borich (1992) found that 80% of classroom talk is questions. Some teachers ask more than 100/hour!
Therefore the process of asking questions is a popular mode of teaching!
“To question well is to teach well. In the skillful use of questions, more than anything else, lies the fine art of teaching.” Earnst Sachs
“To question well is to teach well. In the skillful use of questions, more than anything else, lies the fine art of teaching.” Earnst Sachs

3. The Purpose!
It is an assessment technique that allows teachers to check for comprehension at various levels.
Asking the right question is at the heart of effective communication and information exchange.
What is the Purpose of Questioning in our classrooms?
They will allow the educator to check for comprehension at various levels..
It is possible to transfer factual knowledge & conceptual understanding through this process.
We must have a clear purpose for our questions rather than just determining what knowledge is known. Then we can help students to expand their knowledge and think creatively – outside the box.
Through questions, we can help students to expand their knowledge and think creatively – outside the box.

4. 5 Reasons Teachers Question
Keeps students actively involved
Gives students opportunity to express ideas
Enables students to hear different explanations from their peers
Helps teachers pace lessons & moderate student behaviour
Helps teachers evaluate student learning & revise lesson if necessary.
Reasons Why Teachers Ask Questions
Helps keep students actively involved in the lessons
Students have the opportunity to openly express their ideas or thoughts while answering questions.
Enables other students to hear different explanations of the material by their peers.
Helps teachers to pace their lessons and moderate student behaviour
Helps teachers evaluate student learning and revise lessons as necessary

5. “Good questions outrank easy answers!” - unknown
Good vrs. Bad Questions
“Good questions outrank easy answers!” - unknown

6. Good Questions
Asking a good question will develop & foster interaction.
It promotes student learning, achievement & understanding.
Sanders (1966) stated, “Good questions recognize the wide possibilities of thought and are built around various forms of thinking. Good questions are directed toward learning and evaluative thinking rather than determining what has been learned in a narrow sense.”
Asking a good question will develop & foster interaction between teacher and student. This in turn promotes student learning, achievement & understanding.
Our technique is important so that our listeners will comprehend our question
Sanders (1966) stated, “Good questions recognize the wide possibilities of thought and are built around various forms of thinking. Good questions are directed toward learning and evaluative thinking rather than determining what has been learned in a narrow sense.”

7. “A good question is never answered
“A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place. But a seed to be planted and to bear more seed. Toward the hope of greening the landscape of ideas.”
- John Ciardi, 1972

8. Good vrs. Bad
“No question is a bad question.” Well, for teachers this is not the case!!
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don’t know the answer.”
- Douglas Adams
Ever hear “No question is a bad question”? Well, for teachers, not all questions are good!!

9. What is a BAD Question?
Must be aware of how our listener interprets our questions so as not to insult them – cultural differences, boundaries, etc. – they could feel threatened or even punished …
Some listeners will be turned off & hesitant to answer again.
They may feel stupid and maybe even withdraw – put their heads down or avoid eye contact.
May evoke negative feelings towards learning.
We need to NOT:
1. Ask vague questions
2. Ask tricky questions
3. Ask questions that are too abstract for age or ability level
Our technique is important so that our listeners will comprehend our question
As educators we must be keenly aware of how our listener interprets our questions so as not to insult them – cultural differences, boundaries, etc. – they could feel threatened or even punished … Important to understand in our multi-cultural schools.
Some listeners will be turned off & hesitant to answer again. They may feel stupid and maybe even withdraw – put their heads down or avoid eye contact. Bad questions may evoke negative feelings towards learning.
We need to NOT:
1. Ask vague questions
2. Ask tricky questions
3. Ask questions that are too abstract for age or ability level

10. Various Types of Questions

11. Convergent/Direct/Closed
** Most time is spent on these types
Answers are limited- single word or short answer.
Lower levels of cognition
Factual information that can be memorized
Doesn’t necessarily develop a deep understanding
Relied on to keep the lesson paced & keep attention of students, maintain control.
Test for understanding
A misplaced closed question can kill the conversation and lead to awkward silences.
Convergent/ Direct/ Closed
Used when answers are limited to a single or small # of correct responses
Used for assessing lower levels of cognition
Most time is spent on these types
Factual information that can be memorized
Not necessarily helpful in developing a deep understanding of subject area.
Relied on to keep the lesson paced & keep attention of students, maintain control.
Receive single word or short factual answer:
“Are you hungry?” or “Where do you live?”
Good for: Testing for understanding OR Making a decision
A misplaced closed question can kill the conversation and lead to awkward silences.

12. Divergent/Indirect/Open
Higher levels of cognition or reasoning skills
Knowledge used to problem solve, analyze & evaluate
Deep understanding is needed to answer
Elicit longer answers
Asks for knowledge, opinions or feelings
“What?”, “Why?”, “How?”, “Tell me”, “Describe”
Good for
1. Developing more open conversation
2. Finding more detail
3. Finding others opinions or issues
Divergent/ Indirect/Open
Used for higher levels of cognition or reasoning skills
Enables them not just to remember facts but to used their knowledge to problem solve, analyze & evaluate
They need a deep understanding to answer this type of question
Elicit longer answers
Asks for knowledge, opinions or feelings
“What?”, “Why?”, “How?”, “Tell me”, “Describe”
Examples: “What happened yesterday in class?”
“Why did she do that?”
“How was the presentation?”
“Tell me what happened next.”
“Describe the situation in more detail.”
Good for 1. Developing more open conversation
2. Finding more detail
3. Finding others opinions or issues
Should ask a combination of both BUT individual student needs need to be determined to know the balance b/w the two.
** Should ask a combination of both BUT individual student needs need to be determined to know the balance between the two.

13. Benjamin S. Bloom
Interested in thinking and its development
Wanted to reveal what students were thinking about when teachers were teaching because he recognized that it was what students were experiencing that ultimately mattered.
Benjamin S. Bloom, (Wickipedia)
He was fundamentally interested in thinking and its development
He wanted to reveal (through his research) what students were thinking about when teachers were teaching because he recognized that it was what students were experiencing that ultimately mattered.

15. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Questions
Knowledge - tell, list, describe, relate, locate, write, find, state, name
Comprehension – explain, interpret, outline, discuss, distinguish, predict, restate, translate, compare, describe
Application – solve, show, use, illustrate, construct, complete, examine, classify
Analysis – analyze, distinguish, examine, compare, contrast, investigate, categorize, identify, explain, separate, advertise
Synthesis – create, invent, compose, predict, plan, construct, design, imagine, propose, devise, formulate
Evaluation – judge, select, choose, decide, justify, debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, discuss, rate, prioritize, determine
From low to high thinking skills including some useful verbs:
Knowledge - tell, list, describe, relate, locate, write, find, state, name
Comprehension – explain, interpret, outline, discuss, distinguish, predict, restate, translate, compare, describe
Application – solve, show, use, illustrate, construct, complete, examine, classify
Analysis – analyze, distinguish, examine, compare, contrast, investigate, categorize, identify, explain, separate, advertise
Synthesis – create, invent, compose, predict, plan, construct, design, imagine, propose, devise, formulate
Evaluation – judge, select, choose, decide, justify, debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, discuss, rate, prioritize, determine
GOOD EXAMPLE OF EACH:
“What are the health benefits of eating an apple?”
“Compare health benefits of eating an apple vrs. eating an orange.”
Which kind of apples are best for baking a pie and why?
List four ways of serving foods made with apples and explain which ones have the highest health benefit. Provide references to support your statements.
Convert an “unhealthy” recipe for apple pie to a “healthy” recipe by replacing your choiceof ingredients. Explain the health benefits of using the ingredients you chose vrs the original ones.
Do you feel that serving apple pie for an after school snack for children is healthy? Why or why not?

16. “Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than giving right answers.”
- Josef Albers

17. SOUNDS of SILENCE

18. Be QUIET!
Don’t interrupt a student right after the question has been asked
Give time to answer!
“Teachers rarely wait for more than 1.5 seconds after asking a question before interfering.” (Tobin, 1987)
10 – 15 seconds seem to be adequate – 3 complete breaths
Silence
Don’t interrupt a student right after the question has been asked
Give time to answer! BE SILENT!
“Teachers rarely wait for more than 1.5 seconds after asking a question before interfering.” (Tobin, 1987)
10 – 15 seconds seem to be adequate – 3 complete breaths

19. Benefits of Silence Students: More meaningful answers Improve accuracy
Improved length
Fewer “no answers”
Teachers:
Higher order questions
Precise formulation of questions
Varied & flexible questions
Convey teachers attentiveness
Higher order questions require significant mental processes – wait time is needed!!
There are fewer “no answers”
Benefits teachers as well, questioning strategies tend to be more varied and flexible and the number of questions decrease in quantity and increase in quality.

20. “Some call it laziness. I call it deep thought!”
- Garfeild

21. Conclusion
Questions that are in line with students level of understanding, are high in clarity and are accompanied by a period of silence are likely to be successful!
We can create a learning environment where higher order thinking is expected and practiced!!

22. - Lakota Indian Saying “Tell me, and I’ll listen.
Show me, and I’ll understand.
Involve me, and I’ll learn.”
- Lakota Indian Saying

23. References
Johnson, Randall. Questioning Techniques to Use in Teaching. JOPERD--The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, Vol. 68,
Bond, Nathan. Article: 12 Questioning Strategies that Minimize Classroom Management Problems. Kappa Delta Pi Record. October 1,
Brualdi, Amy C. (1998). Classroom questions. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 6(6).
Questioning Techniques.
15 Questions & Questioning Techniques.
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Questions.