How to observe: what good questioning looks like

When you are observing effective questioning, there are certain things you should look out for:

Let's look first at why we ask questions?

​As a young child we are constantly asking questions - it is how we learn best. This stops as we get older - probably because the people around us get tired of answering!

In the classroom the best way of encouraging learning is asking questions - the ideal is for the students to be asking the questions! Our job ultimately is to plan for this to happen. (I will write more about this later on in your training.)

But to start -  
Why do we ask questions?
​What impact might we have?

• To assess what they have learned
• To develop thinking skills
• To encourage learning conversations
• To model questioning techniques
• For clarification
• To prompt students to explore attitudes/feelings
• To help students see another perspective
• To ask a student to refine an idea
• To direct students to respond to one another
• To prompt students to investigate a thought process
• To ask students to predict certain outcomes
• To prompt students to connect and organise certain information
• To ask students to illustrate a concept with an example

Good questioning can...

• involve many students (the more students included, the more students are learning!)
• spark off discussion and critical thinking
• inspire deeper learning
• ignite creativity
• generate enthusiasm
• lead to rapid and visible progress

When you are observing, look out for the following:

• Note how the teacher introduces the questions
• List the types of questions asked
• Observe who is asked questions – is there a gender bias? Is there any kind of bias?
• Note interactions in the development of answers
• Note tone of voice
• Comment on the differentiation of questions
• Note the teacher's response to the answers

For your reflections: what is the impact on learning from each of the teacher's decisions in how they ask their questions?

For further information regarding questioning ... read on

Common questioning mistakes you may spot

• ​Asking too many questions at once
• Asking a question and answering it yourself
• Asking questions only to the brightest or most likeable
• Asking a difficult question too early
• Asking irrelevant questions
• Always asking the same type of questions
• Asking questions in a threatening way
• Not indicating a change in the type of question
• Not using probing answers
• Not giving students time to think
• Failing to see the implications of the answers
• Failing to build on answers

Where did they all go?

Next blog post
How to observe: what good collaborative learning looks like