Effective Questioning Workbook

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
SUPPORT PACKAGE
Module: Effective Questioning
Participant Workbook
NSW Department of Education School Services Directorate
1
QUESTIONS FOR THE REVISED BLOOM’S TAXONOMY 
(from Quick Flip Questions for the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy) 
EDUPRESS EP 729 – www.edupressinc.com 
 
 
LEVEL 1 ‐ REMEMBERING  LEVEL 2 ‐ UNDERSTANDING  LEVEL 3 ‐ APPLYING 
Exhibit memory of previously learned  Demonstrate understanding of facts and ideas by 
Solve problems to new situations by applying acquired 
material by recalling facts, terms, basic  organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, 
knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way. 
concepts, and answers.  giving descriptions, and stating main ideas. 
Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions 

           
choose  What is …?  classify  How would you classify …?  apply  How would you use …? 
define  Where is …?  compare  How would you compare …?   build  What examples can you find to …? 
find  How did ___ happen?  contrast  How would you contrast …?  choose  How would you solve ___ using what 
how  Why did …?  demonstrate  State in your own words …?  construct  you’ve learned …? 
label  When did …?  explain  Rephrase the meaning …?  develop  How would you organize ___ to show …? 
list  How would you show …?  extend  What facts or ideas show …?  experiment  How would you show your understanding 
match  Who were the main …?  illustrate  What is the main idea of …?  with  of …? 
name  Which one …?  infer  Which statements support …?  identify  What approach would you use to …? 
omit  How is …?  interpret  Explain what is happening …?  interview  How would you apply what you learned 
recall  When did ___  happen?  outline  What is meant …?  make use of  to develop …? 
relate  How would you explain …?  relate  What can you say about …?  model  What other way would you plan to …? 
select  How would you describe ..?  rephrase  Which is the best answer …?  organize  What would result if …? 
show  Can you recall …?  show  How would you summarize …?  plan  Can you make use of the facts to …? 
spell  Can you select …?  summarize  select  What elements would you choose to 
tell  Can you list the three …?  translate  solve  change …? 
what  Who was …?  utilize  What facts would you select to show …? 
when  What questions would you ask in an 
where  interview with …? 
which 
who 
why 
LEVEL 4 ‐ ANALYZING  LEVEL 5 ‐ EVALUATING  LEVEL 6 ‐ CREATING 
Examine and break information into parts by  Present and defend opinions by making  Compile information together in a different way by 
identifying motives or causes.  Make inferences  judgments about information, validity of ideas, or  combining elements in a new pattern or proposing 
and find evidence to support generalizations.  quality of work based on a set of criteria.  alternative solutions. 
Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions 
           
analyze  What are the parts of …?  agree  Do you agree with the actions…?  adapt  What changes would you make to solve …? 
assume  appraise  build 
How is ___ related to …?  with the outcome…?  How would you improve …? 
categorize  assess  change 
Why do you think …?  award  What is your opinion of …?  choose  What would happen if …? 
classify 
What is the theme …?  choose  How would you prove/disprove ?  combine  Can you elaborate on the reason …? 
compare 
What motive is there …?  compare  Assess the value /importance of?  compile  Can you propose an alternative…? 
conclusion 
conclude  Would it be better if …?  compose 
contrast  Can you list the parts …?  Can you invent …? 
criteria  construct 
discover  What inference can you make …?  criticize  Why did they (the character)  How would you adapt ___ to create a 
create 
dissect  What conclusions can you draw?   decide  choose …?  design  different …? 
distinguish  deduct  What would you recommend…?  develop 
How would you classify...?  How could you change (modify) the plot 
divide  defend  How would you rate the …?  discuss 
How would you categorize...?  (plan) …? 
examine  determine  What would you cite to defend  elaborate 
Can you identify …?  disprove  estimate  What could be done to minimize/max ..? 
function  the actions …? 
What evidence can you find …?  dispute  formulate  What way would you design …? 
inference  How could you determine…? 
What is the relationship …?  estimate  happen  What could be combined to improve 
inspect  What choices …? 
evaluate  imagine 
list  Can you distinguish between …?  (change) …? 
explain  How would you prioritize …?  improve 
motive  What is the function of …?  importance  Suppose you could__what would you do …? 
What judgment can you make ..?   invent 
relationships  What ideas justify …?  influence  make up  How would you test …? 
Based on what you know, how 
simplify  interpret  maximize  Can you formulate a theory for …? 
survey  judge  would you explain …?  minimize 
What information would you use  modify  Can you predict the outcome if …? 
take part in  justify 
measure  to support the view…?  original  How would you estimate the results for …? 
test for 
theme  opinion  How would you justify …?  originate  What facts can you compile …? 
perceive  plan  Construct a model that would change …? 
What data was used to make the 
prioritize  predict 
conclusion…?  Think of an original way for the …? 
prove  propose 
rate  What was it better that …?  solution 
recommend  How would you compare the  solve 
select  ideas …?  people …?  suppose 
support  test 
value  theory 
Edward de Bono’s 6 Thinking Hats ®
The notion of six thinking hats comes from Edward De Bono
(Read Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono, 1985)
It is a simple and effective system that increases productivity.
There are six metaphorical hats and each defines a certain type of thinking.
You can put on or take off one of these hats to indicate the type of thinking you are using.
This putting on and taking off is essential, because it allows you to switch from
one type of thinking to another.
When done in a group, everybody should wear the same hat at the same time.
The principle behind the 'Six Thinking Hats' is parallel thinking which ensures that all the
people in a meeting are focused on and thinking about the same subject at the same time.
In this system, thinking is divided into six categories with each category identified with its
own coloured metaphorical 'thinking hat'.
Organisations that use the 'Six Thinking Hats' system report that their teams are more
productive and in general "happier and healthier".
The Six Hats:
The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

calls for information symbolizes signifies caution and
known or needed. brightness and critical thinking - do
"The facts, just the optimism. You can not overuse! Why
facts." explore the positives something may not
and probe for value work
and benefit
The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

focuses on creativity, is used to manage signifies feelings,
possibilities, the thinking process. hunches and
alternatives and new It ensures that the intuition - the place
ideas. It is an 'Six Thinking Hats' where emotions are
opportunity to guidelines are placed without
express new observed. explanation
concepts and new
perceptions - lateral
thinking could be
used here
Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The white hat
Calls for information known or needed – gathering

just the facts
The white hat covers facts, figures, data and

information. Too often facts and figures are
embedded in an argument or belief.
Wearing your white hat allows you to present

information in a neutral and objective way.
Questions you might ask while wearing your white hat

include:
• What information do we have here?

• What information is missing?
• What information would we like to have?
• How are we going to get the information?
When you put on your white hat, you focus directly on

the information – what is available, what is needed,
and how it might be obtained. Proposals, opinions,
beliefs and arguments should be put aside.
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

The yellow hat
Calls for optimism, positive aspects
The yellow hat is for optimism and the logical

positive view of things. Wearing the yellow hat
allows you to look for benefits, feasibility and how
something can be done.
Questions you might ask while wearing the yellow

hat include:
• What are the benefits of this option?

• Why is this proposal preferable?
• What are the positive assets of this design?
• How can we make this work?
Yellow hat thinking is a deliberate search for the

positive. Benefits are not always immediately
obvious and you might have to search for them.
Every creative idea deserves some yellow hat
attention.
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

The black hat
Judgment, caution and evaluation
Wearing the black hat allows you to consider your

proposals critically and logically. The black hat is used to
reflect on why a suggestion does not fit the facts, the
available experience, or the system in use.
Wearing your black hat you might consider the following:
• Costs. (This proposal would be too expensive.)

• Regulations. (I don't think that the regulations
would allow … )
• Design. (This design might look nice, but it is not
practical.)
• Materials. (This material would mean high
maintenance.)
• Safety issues. (What about handrails?)
Mistakes can be disastrous. So the black hat is very

valuable. It is the most used hat and possibly the most
useful hat. However, it is very easy to overuse the black
hat. Caution, used too early in the problem solving
process, can easily kill creative ideas with early negativity.
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

The red hat
The red hat covers intuition, feelings, hunches and

emotions.
Usually, feelings and intuition can only be introduced

into a discussion if they are supported by logic.
Often, the feeling is genuine but the logic is spurious.
Wearing the red hat allows you to put forward your

feelings and intuitions without the need for
justification, explanation or apology.
Putting on the red hat, you express what you feel

about the project. Examples:
• My gut-feeling is that this will not work.

• I don't like the way this is being done.
• This proposal is terrible.
• My intuition tells me that prices will fall soon.
The red hat allows feelings to come into the

discussion without pretending to be anything else. It
is always valuable to get feelings out into the open.
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

The green hat
The green hat is specifically concerned with creating new

ideas and new ways of looking at things:
• creative thinking
• Additional alternatives
• putting forward possibilities and hypotheses
• interesting proposals
• new approaches
• provocations and changes
The green hat makes time and space available to focus on

creative thinking. Even if no creative ideas are
forthcoming, the green hat asks for the creative effort.
Often green hat thinking is difficult because it goes
against our habits of recognition, judgment and criticism.
Typical questions include:
• Are there any other ideas here?

• Are there any additional alternatives?
• Could we do this in a different way?
• Could there be another explanation?
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

The blue hat
Controlling the sequence of thinking
The blue hat is the overview or process control. It is

for organizing and controlling the thinking process so
that it becomes more productive. The blue hat is for
thinking about thinking. In technical terms, the blue
hat is concerned with meta-cognition.
Wearing your blue hat, you might:
• Look not at the subject itself but at the

'thinking' about the subject.
• Set the agenda for thinking
• Suggest the next step in the thinking, " I
suggest we try some green hat thinking to get
some new ideas"
• Ask for a summary, conclusion, or decision,
"Could we have a summary of your views?"
The Six Hats:

and benefit

concepts and new
thinking could be
used here

HEADLINES ROUTINE
A routine for capturing essence
This routine draws on the idea of newspaper-type headlines as a

vehicle for summing up and capturing the essence of an event,
idea, concept, topic, etc. The routine asks a core question:
1. If you were to write a headline for this topic or issue right

now that captured the most important aspect that should be
remembered, what would that headline be?
A second question involves probing how students’ ideas of what

is most important and central to the topic being explored have
changed over time:
2. How has your headline changed based on today’s

discussion? How does it differ from what you would have
said yesterday?
Purpose: What kind of thinking does this routine encourage?

This routine helps students capture the core or heart of the matter being studied or discussed. It
also can involve them in summing things up and coming to some tentative conclusions.
Application: When and where can it be used?

This routine works especially well at the end of a class discussion or session in which students
have explored a topic and gathered a fair amount of new information or opinions about it.
Launch: What are some tips for starting and using this routine?
The routine can be used quite effectively with think-pair-share. For example, at the end of a
class the teachers can ask the class, “Think about all that we have been talking about today in
class. If you were to write a headline for this topic or issue right now that captured the most
important aspect that should be remembered, what would that headline be?” Next, the teacher
tells students, “Share your headline with your neighbor.” The teacher might close the class by
asking, “Who heard a headline from someone else that they thought was particularly good at
getting to the core of things?”
Student responses to the routine can be written down and recorded so that a class list of headlines
is created. These could be reviewed and updated from time to time as the class learns more
about the topic. The follow-up question, “how has your headline changed or how does it differ
from what you would have said? can be used to help students reflect on changes in their
thinking.
CONNECT / EXTEND / CHALLENGE
A routine for connecting new ideas to prior knowledge
CONNECT: How are the ideas and information presented

CONNECTED to what you already knew?
EXTEND: What new ideas did you get that EXTENDED

or pushed your thinking in new directions?
CHALLENGE: What is still CHALLENGING or confusing

for you to get your mind around? What
questions, wonderings or puzzles do you now
have?

The routine helps students make connections between new ideas and prior knowledge. It also
encourages them to take stock of ongoing questions, puzzles and difficulties as they reflect
on what they are learning.

The natural place to use the Connect-Extend-Challenge routine is after students have learned
something new. It doesn’t matter how much they have learned – it can be a lesson’s worth, or
a unit’s worth. The routine is broadly applicable: Use it after students have explored a work of
art, or anything else in the curriculum. Try it as a reflection during a lesson, after a longer pro-
ject, or when completing a unit of study. Try using it after another routine!
This routine works well with the whole class, in small groups or individually. Keep a visible
record of students’ ideas. If you are working in a group, ask students to share some of their
thoughts and collect a list of ideas in each of the three categories Or have students write their
individual responses on post-it notes and add them to a class chart. Keep students’ visible
thinking alive over time: Continually add new ideas to the lists and revisit the ideas and
quetions on the chart as students’ understanding around a topic develops.
THINK PAIR SHARE ROUTINE
A routine for active reasoning and explanation
Think Pair Share involves posing a question to

students, asking them to take a few minutes of
thinking time and then turning to a nearby
student to share their thoughts.

This routine encourages students to think about something, such as a problem,
question or topic, and then articulate their thoughts. The Think Pair Share routine
promotes understanding through active reasoning and explanation. Because students
are listening to and sharing ideas, Think Pair Share encourages students to
understand multiple perspectives.

Think Pair Share can be applied at any given moment in the classroom. For example,
when approaching a solution, solving a math problem, before a science experiment,
or after reading a passage or chapter of a book you may ask students to take a
moment to think about a particular question or issue and then turn to their neighbor
and share their thoughts. Sharing can also be done in small groups. Some times you
will want to have pairs or groups summarize their ideas for the whole class.
Launch: What are some tips for starting and using the routine?
When first introducing the routine, teachers may want to scaffold students’ paired
conversations by reminding them to take turns, listen carefully and ask questions of
one another. One way to ensure that students listen to each other is to tell students
that you will be calling on individuals to explain their partners thinking, as opposed
to telling their own thoughts.
Encourage students to make their thinking visible by asking them to write or draw
their ideas before and/or after sharing. Journals can also be useful. Student pairs can
report one another’s thoughts to the class and a list of ideas can be created in the
classroom.
This routine is adapted from Frank Lyman: Lyman, F. T. (1981). The Responsive Classroom Discussion:
The Inclusion of All Students. In A. Anderson (Ed.), Mainstreaming Digest (pp. 109-113). College Park:
University of Maryland Press.
THINK / PUZZLE / EXPLORE
A routine that sets the stage for deeper inquiry
1. What do you think you know about this topic?
2. What questions or puzzles do you have?
3. What does the topic make you want to explore ?

This routine activates prior knowledge, generates ideas and curiosity and sets the stage for
deeper inquiry.

This routine works especially well when introducing a new topic, concept or theme in the
classroom. It helps students take stock of what they already know and then pushes students
to identify puzzling questions or areas of interest to pursue. Teachers can get a good sense
of where students are on a conceptual level and, by returning to the routine over the course
of study, they can identify development and progress. The third question is useful in helping
students lay the ground work for independent inquiry.
With the introduction of new topic—for example, earth, leaves, fractions, Buddhism—the
class can engage in the routine together to create a group list of ideas. Between each phase
of the routine, that is with each question, adequate time needs to be given for individuals to
think and identify their ideas. You may even want to have students write down their
individual ideas before sharing them out as a class. In some cases, you may want to have
students carry out the routine individually on paper or in their heads before working on a
new area.
Keep a visible record of students’ ideas. If you are working in a group, ask students to share
some of their thoughts and collect a broad list of ideas about the topic on chart paper. Or
students can write their individual responses on post-it notes and later add them to a class
list of ideas.
Note that it is common for students to have misconceptions at this point—include them on
the list so all ideas are available for consideration after further study. Students may at first
list seemingly simplistic ideas and questions. Include these on the whole class list but push
students to think about things that are truly puzzling or interesting to them.
WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT?
Interpretation with Justification Routine
1. What’s going on?
2. What do you see that makes

you say that?

This routine helps students describe what they see or know and asks them to build explanations. It
promotes evidential reasoning (evidence-based reasoning) and because it invites students to share their
interpretations, it encourages students to understand alternatives and multiple perspectives.

This is a thinking routine that asks students to describe something, such as an object or concept, and
then support their interpretation with evidence. Because the basic questions in this routine are flexible,
it is useful when looking at objects such as works of art or historical artifacts, but it can also be used to
explore a poem, make scientific observations and hypothesis, or investigate more conceptual ideas
(i.e., democracy). The routine can be adapted for use with almost any subject and may also be useful
for gathering information on students’ general concepts when introducing a new topic.
In most cases, the routine takes the shape of a whole class or group conversation around an object or
topic, but can also be used in small groups or by individuals. When first introducing the routine, the
teacher may scaffold students by continually asking the follow-up questions after a student gives an
interpretation. Over time students may begin to automatically support their interpretations with
evidence with out even being asked, and eventually students will begin to internalize the routine.
The two core questions for this routine can be varied in a number of ways depending on the context:
What do you know? What do you see or know that makes you say that? Sometimes you may want to
preceded students’ interpretation by using a question of description: What do you see? or What do you
know?
When using this routine in a group conversation it may be necessary to think of alternative forms of
documentation that do not interfere with the flow of the discussion. One option is to record class
discussions using video or audio. Listening and noting students’ use of language of thinking can help
you see their development. Students words and language can serve as a form of documentation that
helps create a rubric for what makes a good interpretation or for what constitutes good reasoning.
Another option is to make a chart or keep an ongoing list of explanations posted in the classroom. As
interpretations develop, note changes and have further discussion about these new explanations. These
lists can also invite further inquiry and searches for evidence. Other options for both group and
individual work include students documenting their own interpretations through sketches, drawings,
models and writing, all of which can be displayed and revisited in the classroom.
The reverse: The What if: The disadvantages: The combination:
You can ask virtually any What If question.
List disadvantages and improvements for:
They can be either serious or frivolous.
Choose an object, eg an umbrella, or a
One excellent means of displaying ideas
practice, eg playground duty, and list a
from this key is to draw up an Ideas List the attributes of 2 dissimilar objects
Place words such as cannot, never and number of its disadvantages. Then list
Wheel. Great for introducing an area of (one within your area of study, one
not in sentences which are commonly some ways of correcting, or eliminating
study, and for tapping into the students’ outside), then combine the attributes into
displayed in a listing format. these disadvantages.
knowledge base. It also generates loads a single object.
of innovative ideas
The BAR: The alphabet: The variations: The picture:

The following acronym, or ladder of The teacher draws a simple diagram
words, can be used by different age Choose an object or general category of which has no relevance to the area of
groups (ranging from Yr 1 to adults) to objects which features in the area of This key employs a special group of study and the students then try to work
reinvent or redesign everyday objects. study and compile a list of words from A words. Start each question with “How out ways in which it could be linked with
to Z which have some relevance to the many ways that area. As an interesting imaginative
BIGGER object/s. Then try to expand on some can you …” writing exercise, ask the students to
ADD ideas which link with each of the words. compile a list of 10 things that the
REPLACE diagram could represent.
The prediction: The different uses: The ridiculous: The commonality:

Decide upon 2 objects which would
Ask for a series of predictions in regard to Put your imagination to work and list Make a ridiculous statement that would be
generally have nothing in common, and
a particular situation, product or set of some widely different uses for a chosen virtually impossible to implement, and
try to outline some points of commonality
circumstances. object from your area of study. then attempt to actually substantiate it.
between them.
The question: The brainstorming: The inventions: The brick wall:

Encourage students to develop inventions Make a statement which could not
State a problem which needs to be solved
Start with the answer, and try to list 5 which are constructed in an unusual generally be questioned or disputed, and
and brainstorm a list of solutions. Start
questions which could be linked with that manner. The first step would be to outline then try to break down the wall by
the brainstorm statement with the words
answer the product on paper, which would then outlining other ways of dealing with the
‘How to ....’.
lead into possible construction. situation.
The construction: Forced relationships: The alternative: The interpretations:

Develop a solution to a problem by
employing a number of dissimilar objects.
Set up a wide variety of construction List ways in which to complete a task Describe an unusual situation and then
For Years 1/2 - one object
problem-solving tasks and use lots of without using the normal tools or think of some different explanations for
For Years 3/4 - two objects
readily available materials. implements. the existence of that situation.
For Years 5/6/7 - three objects
For Years 8-12 - four objects
©
Gifted and Talented Education
Extract from Support package: Curriculum differentiation
The Williams model

The Williams Model
The second model that provides ideas about how to infuse a program with challenge for
gifted students is that designed by Frank Williams (1993).
This model is based on studies of the creative person and process. This model has three
dimensions.
Dimension 1: This consists of subjects that make up the school curriculum. The K–12
content is the vehicle for students to think and feel about.
Dimension 2: This comprises 18 strategies to be used by the teacher to develop student
thinking and creativity.
Dimension 3: This consists of eight student processes that have been shown
empirically to be involved in creative thinking.
These processes include the opportunity for creative thinking (characterised by fluency,
flexibility, originality and elaboration). The teaching strategies also enable the expression
of the personality factors of curiosity, imagination, risk-taking and complexity that have
been identified as important processes for the expression of creativity.
This model provides a useful framework for developing questions and activities that will
provide stimulation and the opportunity for thinking.
The example below provides examples of the types of questions discussed in Dimension
2 of the Williams model.
Table : WILLIAMS MODEL – The Anzac Legend

1. PARADOX National identity comes from
glorious defeat or does it?
At first glance this is something that appears to be
counter–intuitive.
Paradoxes can be used to evaluate ideas and challenge
students to reason and find proof
2. ATTRIBUTE LISTING What is an Australian?
This involves the skill of analysis. Students can be asked
to list the attributes of or list the properties of something
3. ANALOGY How is Australia Day like Anzac

Day?
Students find the similarities between things and compare
one thing to another
4. DISCREPANCY When did Federation occur –

what did it hope to achieve?
Williams is referring to the exploration of deficiencies in a
person’s understanding. Students should be challenged to
discuss what is not known or understood
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12, NSW DET
2004
5. PROVOCATIVE QUESTION Is ANZAC Day an appropriate
symbol for a multi-cultural
These are questions that require thoughtful consideration
country?
to clarify meaning or develop new knowledge. Many types
of challenging questions can be posed to elicit higher–
order thinking using Bloom’s taxonomy, e.g. questions that
require analysis, synthesis and evaluation
6. EXAMPLES OF CHANGE How would the legend be different

if the troops had landed in the
Demonstrate the dynamic nature of things, make
right spot?
modifications or alterations
7. EXAMPLES OF HABIT What traditions are associated

with Anzac Day?
Teach about rigidity, fixations and habit
8. ORGANISED RANDOM SEARCH What was Australia like at the

start of WW1? Would you have
Given a situation or body of knowledge possibly from an
chosen to enlist and leave its
historical context ask students to search for other
shores?
information to answer questions such as, what would you
do or what would you have done? Justify your response
9. SKILLS OF SEARCH Find the name of one author who

has studied what happened at
This involves searching for ways that something has been
Gallipoli. Provide a summary of
done before or searching for the current status of
his or her findings
something. For example, looking for cause and effect,
analysing results, drawing conclusions
10. TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY Wartime nurses saved humanity

but were helping the war effort
In other words, an observation could mean one thing or it
too. Do you agree?
could mean something else. Pose open–ended questions,
provide situations that puzzle. This is a good technique
that leads to self–directed learning
11. INTUITIVE EXPRESSION Pretend that you on the beach at

Gallipoli — what is racing through
Being sensitive to inward hunches or nudges
your mind?
12. ADJUSTMENT TO DEVELOPMENT How did warfare change in the

twentieth century?
Learn from mistakes and failures. Show how failure,
mistakes and accidents have led to the discovery of
worthwhile things
13. STUDY CREATIVE PROCESS In what ways do you consider that
soldiers fighting in the trenches
Analyse the traits and characteristics of eminently creative
would need to be resourceful in
people through biographies
order to survive. Find a story
about one of the survivors and
discuss what you think helped
them to survive
GAT Unit
2004
14. EVALUATE SITUATIONS How could Gallipoli have been
avoided?
Evaluate solutions and answers in terms of their
consequences and implications — pose the question what
if?
15. CREATIVE READING SKILLS Select a book to read about the

Gallipoli story and write a book
Students generate as many ideas as possible after reading
review or blurb for a dust cover
a text — this can stimulate a student to develop new ideas
16. CREATIVE LISTENING SKILLS Students listen to a book excerpt
e.g. Simpson and the donkey: the
This is the skill of generating ideas by listening
making of a legend by Peter
Cochrane (1992). They then
write a poem capturing the
essence of the story
17. CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS Write a letter home from the point
of view of a soldier, nurse,
This is the skill of generating and communicating ideas
photographer
through writing
18. VISUALISATION SKILLS Imagine you are in a trench at

Gallipoli — sketch what it looks
Provide opportunities for students to perceive or visualise
like
themselves in many contexts
Reference
Williams, F.E. (1993). The cognitive-affective interaction model for enriching gifted
programs. In J.S. Renzulli (Ed.), Systems and models for developing programs for the
gifted and talented (pp. 461-484). Highett, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow.
GAT Unit
2004
Strong start, Great teachers — Phase 3
Wait time, responding, probing and reinforcement

Researchers on questioning strategies speak of two kinds of wait-time: ‘wait-time 1’ refers to the
amount of time the teacher allows to elapse after he/she has posed a question and before a student
begins to speak; and ‘wait-time 2’ refers to the amount of time a teacher waits after a student has
stopped speaking before saying anything.
Findings include:
• The average wait-time teachers allow after posing a question is one second or less.
• Students whom teachers perceive as having learning difficulties are given less wait-time than those
teachers view as more capable.
• For lower cognitive questions, a wait-time of three seconds is most positively related to
achievement, with less success resulting from shorter or longer wait-times.
• There seems to be no wait-time threshold for higher cognitive questions; students seem to become
more and more engaged and perform better and better the longer the teacher is willing to wait.
• Increasing wait-time beyond three seconds has been found to be positively related to the following
student outcomes:
1. Improvements in the student achievement
2. Improvements in student retention, as measured by delayed tests
3. Increases in the number of higher cognitive responses generated by students
4. Increases in the length of student responses
5. Increases in the number of unsolicited responses
6. Decreases in students’ failure to respond
7. Increases in the amount and quality of evidence students offer to support their inferences
8. Increases in contributions by students who do not participate much when wait-time is under
three seconds
9. Expansion of the variety of responses offered by students
10. Decreases in student interruptions
11. Increases in student-student interactions
12. Increases in the number of questions posed by students.
Source: (Cotton, 2001)
© State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Communities, 2015 1

Strong start, Great teachers
Tips and tactics:

• Give students 30 seconds to share their answer with a partner before feeding back. This also
promotes confidence as it is a ‘joint effort’.
• Use teaching ideas such as Think, Pair, Share or Snowballing at key points for ‘big’ questions.
• Ask the question, move to another part of the room and repeat it before taking any answers.
• Set a timer, or ask a student to time the wait time.
• Play some thinking music.
• Point to a classroom sign: ‘THINK TIME’.
Responding to answers – redirection/probing/reinforcement
Professor Dylan Wiliam emphasises the need to move away from IRE (Initiate, Response, Evaluate), and
to think more carefully about the way we ask questions and respond to student’s answers.
Several studies have confirmed that nearly half of student answers are at a different cognitive
level than the teacher question, yet teachers generally accept these answers as sufficient without
probing or prompting correct responses.
(Walsh & Sattes, 2005)

Research findings include:
• Redirection and probing (often researched together) are positively related to achievement when they
are explicitly focused, e.g., on the clarity, accuracy, plausibility, etc. of student responses
• Redirection and probing are unrelated to achievement when they are vague or critical, e.g., “That’s
not right; try again”; “Where did you get an idea like that? I’m sure Suzanne has thought it through
more carefully and can help us.”
• Acknowledging correct responses as such is positively related to achievement
• Praise is positively related to achievement when it is used sparingly, is directly related to the
student's response, and is sincere and credible.
Source: (Cotton, 2001)

Tips and tactics

Use Socrates’ probing questions:
• Questions for clarification

− Why are you saying that?
− What exactly does this mean?
− How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
− What do we already know about this?
− Can you rephrase that, please?
• Questions that probe assumptions
− What else could we assume?
− You seem to be assuming ...
− How did you choose those assumptions?
− How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
− What would happen if ... ?
− Do you agree/disagree with …?
• Questions that probe reasons and evidence
− Why is that happening?
− How do you know this?
− Can you give me an example of that?
− How might it be refuted?
− Why is ... happening?
− Why? (keep asking it – you'll never get past a few times)
− What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
− On what authority are you basing your argument?
• Questions about viewpoints and perspectives
− Who benefits from this?
− What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
− How are ... and ... similar?
− What would ... say about it?
− How could you look at this another way?
• Questions that probe implications and consequences
− What are the consequences of that assumption?
− How could ... be used to ... ?
− What are the implications of ...?
− How does ... affect ... ?
− How does ... fit with what we learned before?
− Why is ... important?
− What is the best ... ? Why?
• Questions about the question
− What was the point of asking that question?
− Why do you think I asked this question?
− Am I making sense? Why not?
− What else might I ask?
− What does that mean?
References
Cotton, K. (2001). Classroom Questioning. Retrieved October 26, 2014, from School improvement research series:
https://www.aea267.k12.ia.us/system/assets/uploads/files/1467/classroomquestioningresearch.pdf
Walsh, J. A., & Sattes, B. D. (2005). Quality Questioning: Research-Based Practice to Engage Every Learner.
California: Sage Publications.

Appendix 7 – Reflection Rubric Eliciting evidence of learners’ achievement
I don’t do I do this This is I could

this sometimes embedded support
in my someone
practice else
I find out what every student knows at least once a

lesson by using an all student response system
I ensure that all students have time to think about an

answer to a question I pose before I choose who
answers
Reproduced with permission from Embedding Formative Assessment: Practical Techniques for F-12 Classrooms Wiliam and Leahy ©Hawker Brownlow
I give a student a way out if unable to answer my
question but then I come back to that student
I ask a hinge question during a lesson when I need to

decide whether I could move on.
Students pose their own questions which other

students answer.
I make “no hands up” a standard classroom practice.
I use statements rather than questions to encourage

more thoughtful answers.
I use learning logs, exit cards or another way of

collecting extended responses from students.
I test students, look at their answers and then teach

the areas that students have problems with before I
move on.
Other techniques for this strategy

that I use to improve student learning:
26

Effective Questioning Workbook

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Effective Questioning Workbook

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Module: Effective Questioning

NSW Department of Education School Services Directorate

Key Words Questions Key Words Questions Key Words Questions

The notion of six thinking hats comes from Edward De Bono

(Read Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono, 1985)

It is a simple and effective system that increases productivity.

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The white hat

Calls for information known or needed – gathering

The white hat covers facts, figures, data and

Wearing your white hat allows you to present

Questions you might ask while wearing your white hat

• What information do we have here?

When you put on your white hat, you focus directly on

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The yellow hat

Calls for optimism, positive aspects

The yellow hat is for optimism and the logical

Questions you might ask while wearing the yellow

• What are the benefits of this option?

Yellow hat thinking is a deliberate search for the

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The black hat

Judgment, caution and evaluation

Wearing the black hat allows you to consider your

Wearing your black hat you might consider the following:

• Costs. (This proposal would be too expensive.)

Mistakes can be disastrous. So the black hat is very

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The red hat

The red hat covers intuition, feelings, hunches and

Usually, feelings and intuition can only be introduced

Often, the feeling is genuine but the logic is spurious.

Wearing the red hat allows you to put forward your

Putting on the red hat, you express what you feel

• My gut-feeling is that this will not work.

The red hat allows feelings to come into the

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

The green hat

The green hat is specifically concerned with creating new

The green hat makes time and space available to focus on

Typical questions include:

• Are there any other ideas here?

The Six Hats:

The White Hat: The Yellow Hat: The Black Hat:

The Green Hat: The Blue Hat: The Red Hat:

Sheets produced by Paul Foreman at www.inspiration.moonfruit.com

Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions  Key Words  Questions 