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Active Questioning for Deeper Learning

Using active questioning is an important way to promote deeper comprehension of content. The document provides tips for making questioning an effective part of learning, including avoiding only closed questions and instead using more open-ended questions to encourage deeper thinking. It also suggests modeling responses, encouraging student-led questions, incorporating higher-level questions into activities, using pictures to frame questions, considering mixed-ability groups, using talk partners, and focusing questions on what the content suggests rather than just the topic. Active questioning can be used for both informal feedback and formative assessments.

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Linh Nguyen
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28 views1 page

Active Questioning for Deeper Learning

Using active questioning is an important way to promote deeper comprehension of content. The document provides tips for making questioning an effective part of learning, including avoiding only closed questions and instead using more open-ended questions to encourage deeper thinking. It also suggests modeling responses, encouraging student-led questions, incorporating higher-level questions into activities, using pictures to frame questions, considering mixed-ability groups, using talk partners, and focusing questions on what the content suggests rather than just the topic. Active questioning can be used for both informal feedback and formative assessments.

Uploaded by

Linh Nguyen
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Active Questioning

Using active questioning to promote engaged understanding

Using questions to elicit responses and encourage higher order thinking skills is an important
way to establish deeper comprehension of content. Here are some tips for making this an
effective and central part of learning:

 Try to avoid only closed questions that have a right or wrong answer. Open-ended
questions will encourage children to think more deeply.
 Model good responding, as well as good questioning. You can verbally model part of a
response or use text – as some children may need help with this. Make sure your own
responses are correct.
 Encourage children to ask questions of you and of each other too. This ensures that
it is a classroom discussion, rather than simply a question and answer session. You could
model a question and have students ask it to one another or ask a series of questions.
 Build higher-level questions into activities. When it is necessary for students to answer
a higher-level question to complete an activity, the task becomes more active. This makes
assessment of students’ understand easier.
 Remember that children should ‘read’ the pictures as well as the words. The
pictures inform their knowledge about content just as much as text. Use pictures to frame
questions.
 Consider mixed-ability groups for questioning activities. Mixed-ability groups may be
more appropriate in order to encourage a level of challenge and to allow those children who
may have limited oral language skills to benefit from listening and responding to wider
vocabulary.
 Use talk partners. Pairs can then swap roles so each person has a turn of questioning and
responding.
 Remember that it is not just about what the topic/content is, but about what the
topic/content suggests. Encourage the children to deduce, infer and predict what the
content means through questions.
 Active questioning can be used during both informal feedback and formative
assessments. Building both higher-level and active questioning into assessments allows
students to test their own understanding at a deeper level.
 You can use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help you focus your questioning. There are
different forms of the taxonomy available for different subjects as well as topics. Familiarize
yourself with it and find a version that suits your class.

© 2020 SAGE Publications

Common questions

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Integrating higher-level questions into classroom activities encourages active participation, pushes students to apply analytical and evaluative skills, and helps assess a student's understanding more effectively. It transforms tasks from rote exercises to intellectually engaging challenges that demand deeper cognitive engagement .

Focusing on what the topic/content suggests encourages students to engage in deeper levels of interpretation, moving beyond surface-level understanding. This practice teaches students to apply critical thinking skills by deducing, inferring, and predicting implications, thus broadening their analytical capabilities and understanding of nuanced content .

Bloom's Taxonomy provides a structured framework for designing questions that target various cognitive levels, from basic recall to complex analysis and evaluation. Teachers can customize its application to fit different subjects and topics, ensuring that questions stimulate diverse types of thinking and adapt to specific educational goals .

Open-ended questions encourage students to think more deeply about a topic by requiring them to evaluate information, form connections, and articulate their reasoning. This type of questioning moves beyond rote memorization of facts, promoting critical thinking and a deeper understanding of content .

Active questioning during informal feedback and formative assessments helps gauge a student's understanding in real time, providing immediate opportunities to address misconceptions and deepen learning. It also allows students to demonstrate their thought processes, encouraging self-reflection and promoting a more thorough understanding of the material .

Pictures can serve as a tool for questioning by helping students to 'read' visual information, which enhances their understanding of content beyond textual information. This can prompt students to deduce, infer, or predict what the content suggests, leading to a deeper comprehension of the material .

Modeling good responding is crucial because it demonstrates to students how to craft thorough and accurate responses, which complements their questioning skills. By seeing effective responses, students learn how to critically engage with questions, structure comprehensive answers, and improve their communication skills .

Talk partners facilitate questioning and responding skills by allowing students to practice both roles in a supportive, low-pressure environment. This reciprocal learning method enables students to refine their questioning techniques and responses, promoting peer-led exploration of content and enhancing communication skills .

Mixed-ability groups offer a diverse range of perspectives and encourage higher-level discussions, leading to richer questioning activities. In contrast, homogeneous groups might limit the variety of insights and experiences, potentially stifling the depth of inquiry. Mixed-ability settings allow students to learn from each other's strengths, whereas homogeneous groups could reinforce existing knowledge gaps .

Mixed-ability groupings can enhance the questioning process by creating a dynamic learning environment where students with different levels of oral language skills can share and gain from diverse perspectives. This setup encourages a collaborative approach to problem-solving and broadens vocabulary exposure for students with limited language skills .

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