Questioning
Image source: www.missjacobslittlelearners.blogspot.com
Questioning is a comprehension strategy that increases engagement and comprehension. Proficient readers ask themselves questions while they are reading a text. Asking and answering questions helps readers interact with the text and engage prior knowledge. Questioning addresses the common core standards related to the key details and ideas that are related to integrating knowledge and ideas. (http://powerupwhatworks.org)
Questioning techniques have been widely researched and are a very popular teaching strategy. Research indicates that the use of questioning as a teaching strategy is is only second to lecturing. It is estimated that teachers spend about 35 to 50 percent of their instructional time asking questions. (Fries-Gaither, 2008)
Image source: www.slideshare.net
Why should educators ask questions?
Teachers ask questions for a many reasons including: (Fries-Gaither, 2008)
Teachers need to use the correct kind of questions to be able to get the most out of each lesson.
- To develop critical thinking skills
- To check on the completion of work
- To increase motivation or interest
- To involve students in the lesson
- To assess students
- To evaluate a student's preparation for the lesson
Teachers need to use the correct kind of questions to be able to get the most out of each lesson.
What are the five types of questions?
There are five basic types of questions that educators use in the classroom as described by Leslie Owen Wilson, Ed. D
- Factual -These questions solicit simple, factual answers based on obvious facts and awareness. They are the lowest level of cognitive thinking. These answers typically have a straightforward right or wrong answer. Factual questions are also known as literal questions. Example: Name the capital of MN? What is the main idea?
- Convergent - Answers to these questions are usually within a very fine range of acceptable. These questions address the mid-level cognitive thinking. Questions in this category should require the student to make simple inferences to the text. They can use context clues and need to look beyond what is stated outright.
- Divergent - These questions require students to evaluate, predict, synthesize, and use imagination. There is not one correct answer, instead correctness is determined subjectively off of the probability of the proposed answer. Example: In the story _______, what would happen if the ended were changed to __________?
- Evaluative - These questions require a higher level of thinking. Students may be asked to compare and contrast, describe similarities and differences, and synthesize new information, make a judgement, or take a position.
- Combinations - These questions are a blend of any of the types above.
Tips for teachers
To engage students in the questioning strategy, use these tips for success:(http://powerupwhatworks.org)
- Provide students with a set of potential questions that they can use before, during and after reading.
- Model how to ask questions before reading with anticipatory questions, during reading with self-monitoring questions, and after reading with assessing or comprehension questions.
- Use textbooks from the content areas of math, reading, and social studies to demonstrate to students the types of questions that are found across all content areas, and which are more content specific.
- Incorporate technology into questioning. Have students respond to other peer's questions through Google Docs, Blogs, chats, online discussions.
- Provide students with sentence frames or "question starters"that can be used across all content areas.
- Provide enough wait time to allow students to answer the questions.
Questioning can be used in all content areas, here are two examples of how it can be used in different areas.
Reading - In the content area of reading, one way questioning can be used is for reading a novel. The teacher can use pre-reading questions to get the students interested in the book. They can ask questions prompting students to predict what may happen in the story. While students are reading the novel, the teacher can use questioning to monitor comprehension and to dig deeper into the content. The teacher can ask varying levels of questions to get students to make inferences, predictions, compare/contrast characters, and to draw conclusions. When students are finished reading, questions can be used to have students evaluate the book and to prepare for writing. The teacher may also use questions during and after the reading process to assess understanding.
Social Studies - In Social studies, the text will most often be non-fiction. Students can benefit from the questioning strategy by helping them to understand the content of the text. Teachers can use questioning before, during and after the reading process much like the example for reading content area, however, this time the questions my be geared more towards students taking a position on a topic and/or making judgements. Students can also use the questioning technique to gather information in preparing for a classroom debate. Teachers can set up online discussions where students can post questions and/or add to discussions as another way for students to connect, answer questions and enhance their comprehension skills.
Social Studies - In Social studies, the text will most often be non-fiction. Students can benefit from the questioning strategy by helping them to understand the content of the text. Teachers can use questioning before, during and after the reading process much like the example for reading content area, however, this time the questions my be geared more towards students taking a position on a topic and/or making judgements. Students can also use the questioning technique to gather information in preparing for a classroom debate. Teachers can set up online discussions where students can post questions and/or add to discussions as another way for students to connect, answer questions and enhance their comprehension skills.
Video examples of how to use Questioning
This is a video is an excellent presentation regarding the importance of using questioning and the different kinds of questions in the classroom. The video uses a powerpoint slide presentation to cover the content. The video explains that it is not about the quantity of questions that are asked, but the quality. It goes on to discuss that teachers often ask a lot of factual questions, but need to ask deeper questions to enhance thinking. The video also states that teachers often do not allow enough wait time to elicit responses from students. If we do not allow time for students to think after asking a question, teachers will not get solid responses. |
|
This video presents how to use questioning to engage students in the classroom. It discusses ways to get all students involved, and gives examples of several questioning methods. A few ways to use questions beyond the teacher and/or students asking questions is through using four corners, socratic seminars, inner and outer circles, philosophical chairs, and placement methods. These strategies are all excellent ways to get all of the students involved and get them to think critically. |
|
Questioning and the Writing standard - What is the connection?
The questioning strategy can help students develop stronger writing skills, as well as enhance reading comprehension. The writing standards that questioning fits best with is 6.7.1.1 and 6.7.2.2. These two standards both require students develop their writing skills. The first standard requires students to write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. The second standard requires students to write informative texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of content. By using the questioning method before, during, and after reading, students will be able to master these standards. Questioning will help students to gather details, information, compare and contrast and evaluate the text. It will help them gather the necessary information needed to prepare for writing an essay/argument.