As a teacher we are constantly asking questions in the classroom for different reasons and different purposes, such as for assessment and understanding purposes, behavioural management purposes or general well-being purposes.
It can also be said that not only is it the role of the teacher to ask questions but that of the student too.
It is vital that we encourage our learners to question the world around them, to ask for help if and when they need it and to not be afraid to use questioning as a form of learning.
However, we must be alert to the difference between good and bad questions.
Good questions are to be celebrated and used as a tool for teaching and learning.
When students arrive to your classroom, it is respectful to check-in with them, see how their day is going and how they are doing. In return we should receive respect back and it exemplifies the standards you would expect and hope for in your classroom.
Asking students to recap previous learning is another example of positive questioning, especially when you employ a range of question styles from general comprehension to higher order questioning demanding analysis and evaluation.
If students ask for help during tasks, again this is positive questioning but equally this is where a teacher needs to be wary.
Students may use questioning for incorrect reasons such as task avoidance; they seem to demonstrate genuine interest in a topic or misunderstanding and before you know if half of the lesson time has disappeared!
Here, students are being quite clever using their relationship with you and their pretence to steer your lesson off course and here you must be alert.
It is for you as a teacher to decide where to draw the line and insist on independent learning; give a specific amount of time to questions before students set to work and then demand independent time with no hands up or questions.
You will remain in control and steer your lesson in the direction you wish to follow.
Wider knowledge of students in your class will enable you to ascertain where genuine help is needed and where students are simply using questions as a way of avoiding settling to a task.
Once students are working you can then check-in with students who you feel more support in a quieter and less distracting manner.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the difference between good questions and bad questions.
Celebrate questioning on your terms.
Improve your questioning skills with Teach2030
Questioning in the Classroom
The “Questioning in the Classroom” series will examine the significance of questioning and questioning techniques in our roles as educators. Questioning takes on a different perspective and emphasis, one in which we need to understand in detail to ensure it becomes an effective teaching tool for us.
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