Asking questions is a necessary part of teaching. It gives feed back to potential understanding and, frankly, helps keep the students under control. But the more important question is, "Are my questions contributing to students' understanding, students gaining knowledge and growing in wisdom or, are my questions leading students down a dead end street?". The following video by Lourdes A explains four strategies for question asking. They include frequency, equitable distribution, prompting and repetition. Frequency refers to the number or how often questions are asked during a lesson. Equitable Distribution means each child has an opportunity to answer a question. Prompting requires more questions which lead students to discover or make connections. Repetition is asking a question again by rephrasing or repeating it. Each strategy is important and, with time, a teacher's ability to use the strategies grows. It is also important to recognize when to use each strategy. Asking students what they know about a topic can help them gain confidence and communicates their importance as Maryellen Weimer, PhD explains. She also discusses the idea of preserving questions and playing with questions as a way of creating depth of understanding and expressing to students their worth and the importance of questioning.
As educators its important to ask lots of questions that make students consider what they know and that possibly, just maybe, there are ideas, concepts, experiences, lessons or things they do not already know. It is through asking a variety of questions that students are led from the dark into the light of understanding.
Hi Angela!
ReplyDeleteFirst off I want to say that I completely agree with you when you mention that asking questions helps keep students under control! I have said that so many times to different people, and they look at me like I'm crazy. Also, I know that the video mentioned this, but I have always wanted to do the Popsicle Name Sticks in my classroom when I do become a teacher. It is something fun, but also something that students know that they could be picked at any moment for, which makes them think even harder about the question. It's perfect for equitable distribution.
You used perfect wording when you said, "It is through asking a variety of questions that students are led from the dark into the light of understanding."
One last thing, in your description, I feel as if you should have said something about waiting a few seconds before asking a student to answer the question. A few teachers I had throughout my schooling did not do this.
All together, GREAT POST!!
Brittney
Yes, I should have mentioned waiting for answers. It allows the children to form an answer and teaches them to be a good listener. Thank you for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteGood feedback from Brittany
ReplyDelete