Questioning - As An Instructional Strategy

For a teacher to elicit specific resoponses from students, a teacher may consider whether he or she is asking closed or open questions. These questions can be posted in the form of a power point, on an overhead projector, on your whiteboard, promethean board, as handouts, or simply orally.



A closed question is one in which there are usually a limited number of acceptable answers. These answers are the ones expected by the instructor.

An open question is one in which there are many acceptable answers, most of which may or may not be expected by the instructor. The higher order thinking questions are usually open and encourage students toward divergent thinking. Following the dynamics of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy, questioning techniques are vital to any instruction. Remember the possiblities include:

• application questions


• analytical questions


• synthesis questions


• interpretive questions


• evaluative questions

Never underestimate the value of Wait Time! Give students adequate time to respond to your questions. A wait time of three to five seconds is recommended. As a result, more students answer questions and answer them better and more thoroughly. Wait time will also allow time for the teacher to propose a response. With interactive software available to most school districts, students can respond in writing quickly from their desk or post it on the whiteboard. I encourage you to use the technology opportunities availed to you at your school.

By asking better questions, teachers help students become better thinkers. Teachers can ask better questions by converting the simple, ususal questions into more challenging ones. For example, ask students to make a prediction - "How might you invent a solution to this global warming problem?" Likewise, students' questions and answers can help a teacher detect a misunderstanding or confusion about a topic.

Resources for effective questioning:

Better thinking and learning, by Jay McTighe

Catch them thinking: A handbook of classroom strategies, by James Ballanca and Robin Fogarty

Concept-based curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom, by H. L. Erickson

http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims/rrt/research/Content/effective_questioning_what_we_know.asp