Strategies for asking effective questions

By Al-Mandouh Al-Husseini

Can the tone of teachers’ voices turn into a source of confusion for pupils?

Teachers can turn phrases into questions through the tone of their voices, even when the grammatical structure of these phrases is not that of questions.

Real questions can turn into rhetorical ones by virtue of the tone of the voice of the speaker or the words he puts into these questions.

Therefore, teachers have to carefully prepare the effective questions they pose to pupils to encourage them to think about and find answers to them.

This turns the pupils into partners in the learning process.

Effective questions depend on more than just words. The tone of the voice and emphasis on some words play the ultimate role. This tone and this emphasis compound the context, in which the questions are asked.

Questions can be asked in many ways. Each way determines the degree of pupil participation in the learning process.

Where does most classroom time go?

Organising the class, encouraging the pupils to answer questions and interaction with pupils’ answers consumes almost 80% of class time. Nevertheless, asking questions is by far the most important class activity for teachers.

Questions are tools that bridge gaps and help teachers understand their pupils.

These questions – like other components of the educational process – are tools that encourage thinking about the content presented by teachers and interaction with it.

Not all questions are effective. Some questions do not help pupils participate in the learning process.

Dear teacher, have you ever thought about whether the questions you are asking your pupils are the right ones?

According to research and studies, some questions do not help pupils participate effectively in the learning process.

It has been estimated that 70% to 80% of the questions asked require only cognitive knowledge and that only 30% to 20% of the questions asked require higher levels of thinking. These questions require clarification, conclusion, analysis, synthesis, generalisation, criticism and creativity.

Recent studies in the US and the UK indicate that out of every five questions asked, three require remembering information, a question related to classroom management, and only one question requires higher levels of thinking.

This probably boils down to the low level of training, given the teachers.

Who are the target pupils for higher-order thinking questions?

Questions with different levels of cognitive complexities can be directed to pupils on an individual basis, to groups or to the whole class.

Teachers need to diversify the levels of questions raised in the classroom and stop limiting them to one level.

As for probing questions, they aim to achieve one of the following goals:

• Obtaining an explanation of pupils’ response
• Obtaining new information to expand or build on pupils’ response
• Redirecting or restructuring the response in a more meaningful direction, and in relation to the topic of the lesson
• Using probing clarifying questions that help pupils rephrase their responses, or change some of their words. For example, teachers can ask the following questions:

Can you repeat that in another order? How does this answer apply in the case of …?

Comprehension questions require learners to explain, summarize, and clarify facts previously learned.

Application questions require learners to go beyond memorizing and translating facts and use previously learned facts and information in a new and different environment.

Analysis questions require learners to break down the problem into its basic elements and understand links between those different parts.

Combination questions require learners to design or produce a unique solution to an unfamiliar problem.

Evaluation questions require learners to issue judgments and make decisions, using specific criteria to determine the adequacy of the response.

Creativity questions require learners to issue responses that are original, fluent, flexible, imaginative, elaborative, and innovative in problem-solving.

Al-Mandouh al-Husseini is the board chairman of several private schools and the Egyptian Society for Private School Owners and a former member of parliament.