Blog Assignment #4

What questions do we ask? How do we ask?

The reason teachers ask questions is to improve learning. A lot of times teachers ask really good solid questions, but the questions they ask do not allow their students to use critical thinking skills. As a professional educator, it is highly important that teachers ask questions all the time. To increase student's participation in the classroom, teachers must be aware of what questions to ask and how to ask them. The type of questions a teacher ask should provoke higher levels of thinking as well as brain storming to enhance the development of students thinking skills. Good Questions make students think, they encourage participation, and also improve the caliber of the answers students give and the questions they ask.

As mention on the Asking Questions to Improve Learning website, when preparing for class, a teacher should compose specific questions that they will ask their students (or questions they anticipate their students will ask them). Doing so will help increase students participation and encourage active learning. A few helpful tips teachers should remember before asking questions is to always avoid asking leading questions. A leading question is phrased in such a way that it suggests its own answer and therefore discourages students from thinking on their own. Follow a "YES or NO" question with an additional question. For example, follow up by asking students to provide evidence or an example, or have them explain why they answered the way they did. Aim for direct, clear, and specific questions. Also try using more open-ended questions versus close-ended questions. An open-ended question leaves the form of the answer up to the person who is responding and therefore requires more thinking. A close-ended question structure the response for the students, and it can be answer by one word, such as "YES or NO", which does not allow the student to form ideas at all.