PRINCIPLES

and
STRATEGIES
of TEACHING

Effective Questioning and

Reacting Techniques

Children go to school as
question marks and leave
school as periods.
~Neil Postman

Introduction
A study was once conducted to find out how
teachers ask questions. This was observed in a
Grade 6 science class. A tape recorder was hidden
under the demonstration table. She conducted a
discussion of the lesson for forty minutes. She was
able to ask 29 questions, all of which are of the
what type. Maybe they were all answered. They
were simple recall. But has the teacher helped
develop the pupils thinking skills?

The kind of questions we ask determine the level

of thinking we develop.
Low level questions demand low level responses.
They require responses of the simple recall or
memory type of answers.
Examples: What was the temperature range
yesterday? What insect transmits dengue fever?
What part of a plant serves as its factory?

High level questions call for higher-order thinking

ability. Why and how questions require analysis
of observations.
The conclusions is arrived at after weighing
evidence or establishing a pattern out of a
recorded tabulation of data.
Examples:
Why does temperature continue to rise from early
morning till about noontime?
How does the hydrologic cycle occur?

A question is taken as a request for information.

It is simply an inquiry about something.
In teaching, it takes the form of a problem at
the start of an investigation or query about a
current issue such as time or classroom
management. It is a statement that demands an
explanation, a purpose or an argument. A daily
lesson seldom without even a single question. It
is the question, stated in any form that
unlocks thinking. Hence, it is integral in the
teaching practice.

Questioning is a key technique in

teaching and is used for a variety of
purposes.
Purposes of Questions:
1. Arouse interest and curiosity
2. Review content already learned
3. Stimulate learners to ask questions
4. Promote thought and the understanding of ideas
5. Change the mood/tempo, direction of the
discussion
6. Encourage reflection and self evaluation
7. Allow expression of feelings

Types of Questions according to

purpose
For assessing cognition
This is used to determine ones knowledge in
understanding.
They promote high level thinking. Divergent
questions and open-ended inquiries call for
analysis and evaluation.
Example: What is likely to happen if?

For
For
For
For
For
For

verification
creative thinking
evaluating
productive thinking
motivating
instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose
For assessing condition
For verification
It determines the accuracy of the results of an
activity or performance.
Example: Was the result?

For
For
For
For
For

creative thinking
evaluating
productive thinking
motivating
instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose
For assessing condition
For verification
For creative thinking
It probes into ones originality
The question may ask learners of their own
ideas or new ways of doing things
Example: How can you demonstrate?

For
For
For
For

evaluating
productive thinking
motivating
instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose

For assessing condition

For verification
For creative thinking
For evaluating
It elicits responses that include
judgments, value and choice.
It also asks personal opinions about an
event, a policy or a person.

For productive thinking

For motivating
For instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose

For assessing condition

For verification
For creative thinking
For evaluating
For productive thinking
It includes cognitive reasoning. It
analyzes facts, recognizes patterns or
trends and invokes memory or recall.
Example: How can we apply?

For motivating
For instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose

For assessing condition

For verification
For creative thinking
For evaluating
For productive thinking
For motivating
Questions can arouse interest and focus
attention.

For instructing

Types of Questions according to

purpose

For assessing condition

For verification
For creative thinking
For evaluating
For productive thinking
For motivating
For instructing
The question asks for useful information.
It directs, guides and advise on what and
how to do things.

Types of Questions
according to Level/ Answer

Low level questions

High level questions
Convergent questions
Divergent questions

Types of Questions
according to Level/ Answer
Low level questions
Include memory questions or those that
require simple recall

High level questions

Convergent questions
Divergent questions

Types of Questions
according to Level/ Answer
Low level questions
High level questions
Calls for the ability to analyze, evaluate and
solve problems

Convergent questions
Divergent questions

Types of Questions
according to Level/ Answer

Low level questions

High level questions
Convergent questions
Divergent questions
Require respondents to think in different
directions, to think of alternative actions or to
arrive at own decision.
There are several possible answers

Types of Questions:
According to questions used by teachers
during open discussion
Eliciting questions these are employed to:
a) encourage initial response
b) encourage more students to participate in the
discussion
c) rekindle a discussion that is lagging or dying out

Probing question
Closure-seeking questions

Types of Questions:
According to questions used by
teachers during open discussion
Eliciting questions
Probing questions seek to extend
ideas, justify ideas, and clarify ideas.
Closure-seeking questions

Types of Questions:
According to questions used by
teachers during open discussion
Eliciting questions
Probing question
Closure-seeking questions used to
help students form conclusions,
solutions or plans for investigating
problems.

Guidelines in Asking Questions

Wait time
The interval between asking a question and the
student response. This is a 3-4 seconds think
time.

Prompting
Redirection
Probing
Commenting

Guidelines in Asking Questions

Wait time
Prompting
uses hints and techniques to assist students to
come up with a response successfully

Redirection
Probing
Commenting

Guidelines in Asking Questions

Wait time
Prompting
Redirection
involves asking of a single question for which
there are several answers

Probing
Commenting

Guidelines in Asking Questions

Wait time
Prompting
Redirection
Probing
a qualitative technique use d for the promotion of

effective thought and critical thinking

provides the students a chance to support and defend a
stand or point of view.

Commenting

Guidelines in Asking Questions

Wait time
Prompting
Redirection
Probing
Commenting
used to increase achievement and motivation

Tips on asking questions:

Ask questions that are:
- stimulating / thought provoking
- within students level of abilities
- relevant to students daily life situations
- sequential a stepping stone to the next
- clear and easily understood

Tips on asking questions:

Vary the length and difficulty of the question.
Have sufficient time for deliberation
Follow up incorrect answer
Call on volunteers or non volunteers
Call on disruptive students
Move around the room for rapport / socialization
Encourage active participation
Phrase questions clearly.
Ask as many learner as possible to answer certain question.