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Classroom Tips - Using questions effectively |
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Ask a question and deadly silence fills the air. Blank stares greet you as you look around the class hoping for someone - ANYONE - to answer your question.It's hard to find any teacher who hasn't gone through this experience. More so in Asian societies, where children are often told they should be seen and not heard! So, it's no surprise that this scenario is fairly common in Singapore classrooms. Despite the reluctance of some students to speak up, educators need to keep asking questions because it is the only way our students can learn to be better thinkers.
Why are questions SO important?
Education is a two-way communication process between a teacher and a student and questions are part of this interaction. Research also shows that students learn better when instruction is combined with questioning. Here's why:
1. Do they follow?
If your students don't ask questions, it could mean your students have stopped understanding and thinking about what you're saying. Questions can tell you whether your class is asleep or awake.
2. To clarify ideas
If students feel encouraged, they'll ask questions about ideas they don't understand. You'll get immediate feedback when your teaching is unclear and know where you need to spend more time explaining to them.
3.Learn critical thinking
When you ask questions, you're finding out for yourself the truth about things. If our students don't learn to question things and think for themselves, they'll accept everything at face value. For example, they won't realise the difference between TV and reality!
Eight Questioning Strategies for the classroom
Here are some strategies to nurture self-motivated learners in your classroom:
1. Wait-time
How many times have you answered your own questions because you're rushing to finish the syllabus? If you're guilty, give students more time to answer. One study found teachers gave students just 10 seconds to respond which is too little time!
2. Record yourself
Take a tape recorder to class one day. Play it back and listen to how you answer questions. Do you encourage questions and answer the questions?
3. Plan questions for the lesson
Plan your questions around your main learning points. Project the questions on a screen using overhead project or PowerPoint® slides. When they're on the screen, they'll be clearer for your students.
4. Respond to every answer positively
A teacher's response to students' answers is just as important as the question asked. If a student gives an incorrect answer, ask specific questions that will help him arrive at the right answer. Finally, tell him he has given the correct response. Avoid discouraging, vague words like 'Wrong answer. Try again.'
5. Ask 'why' questions
Get more students to talk by asking 'why' questions to justify or explain their reasoning rather than close-ended questions that elicit 'Yes' or 'No' answers.
6. Ask students to respond
Instead of the teacher always responding to the students, ask students to respond to one another's responses. This encourages students to listen carefully, involves more participation and creates more discussion.
7. Ask for questions
Ask students to write down one thing that they don't understand from the day's lesson. Go over those questions at the beginning of the next class. Once students realize that everyone has questions, they'll feel more confident about asking questions.
8. Throw back questions
Sometimes, student will restate the teacher's question in their own words and ask the teacher to answer the question. Avoid doing the work for them. Throw the question back to the class.
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EduBuzz 