Learning intentions

Know and understand that effective questioning is a

powerful tool for learning
Consider ways to generate questions for students
Be aware of strategies for effective questioning in the
classroom
Some starter questions
Do you ask students to come up with their own ideas
and to think aloud?
Do you encourage your students to explain the reasons
for their answers?
Do they get the opportunity to ask their own questions?
Is it okay to give a wrong answer in your classroom?
Is everybodys opinion valued by everyone?
Climate for learning
Risk-taking culture
Community of inquiry
Commitment to learning for all
 Activity 1
Answering the big questions

What was the purpose of your questioning during that lesson?

How did you respond to the answers the students gave?
Why do we ask questions?
To manage and organise
students behaviour
To find out what students
know
To stimulate interest in a
new topic
To focus on an issue or
topic
To structure a task for
maximum learning
To identify, diagnose difficulties
or blocks to learning
To stimulate students to ask
questions
To give students opportunity to
assimilate, reflect and learn
through discussion
What is effective questioning?
Framing, delivering, timing, soliciting and responding to
questions to

Identify where students are currently in their learning

Expand and deepen the learning
Inform planning for future learning
Classroom strategies

Ask better questions

Ask fewer questions
Ask more open questions
Sequence questions
Prepare key questions
Classroom strategies

Ask questions in a better way

Involve the whole class
Think, pair, share
Provide think time
Try no hands up
Classroom strategies

Deal with answers productively

Use wrong answers to develop understanding
Prompt students
Listen and respond positively
Classroom strategies

Generate students questions

Model questioning for students
Provide opportunities for students to practice their skills
Plan time for students questions and for dealing with
them effectively
Key messages
Establishing the right climate is crucial
See the classroom as a community of inquiry
Share the role of questioner with the student
Effective questioning is designed to
- identify the present level of understanding
- extend and deepen learning
- inform future planning
Key messages
Effective questioning contributes to

- improving classroom ethos/environment

- instilling the skills needed for independent learning
- supporting the development of Key Skills: Managing
Information and thinking, Being creative, and Working with
others
Planning for questioning (Adapted from E .C. Wragg)
Identify the key questions in relation to the learning intentions for the
lesson

Decide on the level, order and timing of questions

Extend the questioning - thinking of subsidiary questions to ask
Analyse anticipated answers and responses you might give