Blog Post # 4

Asking questions : What questions do we ask ? How do we ask ?

The driving question is, what do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher ?

     Three ways to ask better questions in the classroom. By : Maryellen Weimer, PhD

      Weimer recommends three actions that have the potential to improve our guestioning. Those actions are 1. Prepared questions 2. Play with questions 3. Preserve good questions. Weimer points out that she never prepared questions, she just asked whatever came to her at the moment. Some of the questions were stimulating and provocative; some were not clear at all. She was not surprised when the students looked confused. Weimer read an article by Bill Wetty, that motivated her to try going to class with prepared questions. She found out when you write a question it makes it clearer. Playing with a question means leaving it unanswered for a while and giving the students time to think about it. She lets us know that sometimes when a question is answered so quickly, it is soon forgotten.Sometimes questions like this maybe asked at the beginning of class, but the answer is revealed at the end. A good question can be preserved. The question can be asked in another class even in a different way. Weimer also gives credit to students asking really good questions. Asking good questions help students see the importance of questions, how they make us think and help us learn.

      Asking questions to improve learning, General strategies for asking questions

       When planning questions keep in mind your goals, do you want students to master core concepts? and develop their critical thinking skills ? It is important to ask questions to practice these skills as well as communicate to the facts, ideas, and important ways of thinking so they can learn.Avoid leading questions, the questions that tell the answers. If a question is answered with a yes or no, always as another question to see why the answer was yes or no. For example the student to give you an explanation for the yes or no answer. As the teacher make sure you aim for direct, clear, and specific questions. Make sure these questions come one at a time. Sometimes students get confused and don't know which question you want them to answer. Don't ask questions during the entire class period, this will take away from your teaching or lectures. Don't save the last few minutes of class for questions. Students are unlikely to ask questions when they know class time is about to end.