Blog Post #4

Asking Questions: What questions do we ask? How do we ask ?

The purpose of asking questions
In the article The right way to ask questions in the classroom Johnson says, "sometimes the students do not understand that they do not understand, and if they do not know what they do not know, there is no way that they can ask a question about it." This statement explains that the student may not always realize they do not understand. How are students suppose to ask questions if they do not understand what they are learning? Our job as a teacher is to find a way to help them better understand what they are learning. Asking questions is a way to engage our students in the learning process. Students will not always speak up if they do not know something. Asking questions is not only a way to ensure they know the material, but can also be an affective way to help them fully understand the information.

Strategies on asking better questions
The article, Asking questions to improve learning, lists some helpful strategies to keep in mind when asking questions. 1) Ask direct and specific questions. It is important to stay on topic when asking a question. Try to ask specific questions only about the material you are discussing. 2) Ask a mix of different types of questions. Asking a variety of questions will assure you in getting more than one response. Try asking "open" and "close" ended questions. 3) Do not ask more than one question. Make sure to ask give students one question at a time. Ask one question and receive a response then ask another. 4) Wait for students to come up with a response. Allow students a few minutes to come up with an answer. Giving them time will allow them to fully think of a response. 5) Show that you are interested in the students. Even if the answer is not what you were looking for, make sure to praise them for attempting to question. Instead of saying they are wrong, explain to them another possible response. For instance, ask them to explain what they meant or to elaborate on their point. You could also ask them to rethink about the question and see if they can come up with anything else. 6) Ask open ended questions. Asking open ended questions can assure you in getting a good response back. It makes it easier for the student to give a more detailed answer.

Why ask questions?
Asking questions in the classroom is an essential part of learning. It engages students to not only think about what they do not understand but also what they already know. As said in the article The right question institute, "Just when you think you know all that you need to know, you ask another question and discover how much more there is to learn."