Quality Questioning

Walsh & Sattes on Questioning (2 Minutes)

The following is a list of important “nuggets of knowledge” from Quality Questioning:

► Most students don’t understand that when they don’t respond because they are not sure of the answer, they deprive the teacher of information he or she could use to help students learn. (p. 17)

► Teachers who believe questions are tools for actively engaging students in learning dedicate time and effort to formulating a limited number of focus-questions as part of their lesson planning. (p. 26)

► Checks for understanding are questions that gauge student progress toward identified learning goals, and typically engage students in thinking above the simple recall level. Using questions that check for understanding at critical junctures…helps a teacher determine whether to move forward or reteach. (p. 43)

► “No hand-raising except to ask a question, not to answer.” (p. 83)

► To use a particular structure (response structure) successfully, teach it to the students in advance, and let them practice so that they are familiar with the structure before they are asked to use it. (p. 104)

► “No Opt-Out” Policy. The choice between sticking with a student and requiring a response, or giving students a free pass, reflects our beliefs: Do we think all students, with appropriate assistance, can respond correctly? (p. 109-110)

► Life lessons students learn from a classroom that values questioning. (p. 111)

► Teacher prompts that help students understand the question. (p. 125)

► Question stems for students to use to build upon one another’s ideas. (p. 135)

► Seven qualities associated with effective feedback: interactive, reciprocal, informative, understandable, timely, actionable, and capacity building. (p. 147-148)

► Four criteria for praise: contingency, specificity, credibility, and sincerity. (p. 162)

► Feedback of all types typically serves to close or terminate student’s answering. During a discussion where there is no single “right” answer, simple feedback can interfere with –and even shut down – student thinking. All types of feedback should be used sparingly and carefully. (p. 167)