Asking questions in the classroom is very important. Sometimes the questions may even be more insightful than the answers. The driving question for all teacher is what do we need to know about asking questions to be an effective teacher? What kinds of questions do we need to ask? And how do we ask them? Many teachers ask closed questions in which the most acceptable answer is a yes or a no. It doesn't really allow the student to think deeply about it and get a more in-depth answer. According to The Teaching Center at Washington University in St. Louis, teachers should avoid asking "leading questions." These kinds of questions are worded to where they are setting up the answer and leading right to it, not giving the student much to think about on their own. The best kinds of questions are the ones that allow the students enough time to thoroughly think about the answer and formulate it into their own words. Questions that call for an explanation best fit this requirement. It is best to plan out what questions you want to ask and when to ask them. If you think of the question and ask it on spot, it can be very unclear and the students may get confused and not want to answer. It is best to plan out what you're going to ask and fit it in where you want to ask it on your lesson plan. It is a good idea to spread your questions out throughout the lesson and not save them all for the last few minutes of class. Students are more likely to answer questions as they are learning about that topic, and they are unlikely to answer when they know class is almost over. It is a good idea to mix up different types of questions; between closed, open, and managerial questions. Closed questions can test comprehension of the information. Open questions are the most effective in encouraging discussion in the classroom and promote active learning, and managerial questions ensure that the students understand the assignment.
Response is key to providing effective feedback to a student's answer. First of all, you should allow enough time for the student(s) to carefully think over the question and formulate their answer. Do not interrupt their answer even if they are not on the right path, and show that you are interested in what they have to say. As a teacher, it is best to keep note of the questions you ask and improve upon them, because as a teacher you are still learning new things every day. Most importantly, try to avoid the types of "do you understand?" questions. Most of the time the students will give you the answer that you want to hear so that the lesson can keep moving forward and won't be delayed. Often times, students are afraid to speak up and show that they do not understand causing them to be lost and confused. So it is best to ask questions that really get the students thinking and not just thinking about yes or no answers.
"Asking questions in the classroom are very important." Asking questions, the subject of your sentence, requires a singular verb.
ReplyDelete"Many teachers ask open questions in which the most acceptable answer is a yes or a no. " That's not an open question. Closed questions can be answered with a "Yes" or "No".
Questions are the key to project/problem/challenge based learning.