CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES 7: Teacher’s Book
Improving learning though questioning Thinking is driven not by answers but by questions. Learners do best when they are given adequate opportunities to engage with, and respond to questions. As a teacher, you can use questions effectively in the classroom to: •
review student learning
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challenge learner thinking
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stimulate interest and motivate learners to become actively involved in the lesson
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cultivate critical thinking skills
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encourage learners to ask their own questions.
There are a number of ways in which you can do this.
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Depending on the content and aims of the lesson, it is likely that you will use different types of question. Three types of question are explained and exemplified below.
You should consider the wording of questions in advance to ensure that they are accessible to all learners. This will be particularly important in contexts where the language of instruction is not the dominant language of learners in you class. For help with language awareness, see the document called 'Developing student learners' skills' in this introduction.
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Discussion questions
These facilitate debate and allow teachers to dig deeper into learner reasoning (in some situations, their imagination) by asking probing questions. Example: Why do you think that?
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Activity: could be used in pair, small group or whole-class discussion. Discussion questions do not need to have a ‘correct answer’ as their value is in helping learners to think through, share and discuss their own response.
Diagnostic questions
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These give you a quick insight into whether what you have taught has been learned. Responses may identify parts of the curriculum that warrant re-teaching to clarify misconceptions and fill gaps. They can identify specific gaps in learner understanding while learning is still taking place. Example: True or false?
Activity: could be a lesson starter (using mini-whiteboards or Post-it notes) or part of a quiz or other form of assessment. All diagnostic questions must have a clear purpose; you must use the information gathered to help inform your next steps. See below for suggestions on how to use diagnostic results in feedback.
Hinge-point questions The ‘hinge’ is the point where you move from one key idea/activity/point on to another. Hinge-point questions are a specific type of diagnostic question that are most useful after a period of learning to help you decide whether to continue, recap or re-teach. It is usually the case that understanding the content that occurs before the hinge is a prerequisite for the next chunk of learning. This is
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Original material © Cambridge University Press 2019. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.