out ofthe question.sally godinho and jeni wilson.copyright

Out of the QuestionGuiding students to a deeper understanding of what they see, read, hear, and do

S A L L Y G O D I N H O / J E N I W I L S O NOut of the Question. Sally Godinho and Jeni Wilson. Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

7ASSESSING THE

QUESTION PROCESS

1WHY ASK

QUESTIONS?

2QUESTIONS IN

THE CLASSROOM

3DEEPER

THINKING

4EMOTIONAL

RESPONSE

5CREATIVITY

6A QUESTION

OF SKILL

The process of deciding what is relevant, what is of interest,what is legitimate, what is authentic, and what requires furtherinvestigation demands the ability to ask questions.

This book provides both teachers and students with the basicsthey need to succeed in critically questioning what they see,read, hear, and do.

Out of the Question. Sally Godinho and Jeni Wilson. Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

Contents1. Why Ask Questions?

What Comes “Out of the Question”? 4Effective Questioning 5

2. Questions in the Classroom

Questions in Context 6Encouraging Questions and Responses 7Getting Started 8Types of Questions 9

3. Deeper Thinking

Self-Questions and Metacognition 10Different Levels of Cognition 11

4. Emotional Response

The Affective Domain 14Risk Taking 15

5. Creativity

Creative Thinking 18Encouraging Divergent Thinking 19

6. A Question of Skill

Developing Questioning Skills 22

7. Assessing the Questioning Process

Questions about Questioning 24Assessment and Record-keeping 25

SUPPORTING STUDENT QUESTIONS 26

REPRODUCIBLE PAGES

– Self-Assessment Rubric 27– Assessment Checklist 28

RESOURCES 29

INDEX 30


4

What Comes “Out of the Question”?

Asking questions is pivotal to learning how to learn andbecoming a lifelong learner. In a technology-driven world,where information overload is often an issue, it is essential thatpeople have the skills to critically question what they see, read,and hear. Effective questions support informed decision-making.

Questions help people make sense of the world, andquestioning skills empower people as learners. They are pivotalfor solving problems, creating solutions, and enacting change.Importantly, asking questions assists students in participatingactively in their world and in the wider context of a democraticsociety.

Questions can

• Excite interest or curiosity • Direct thinking in a particular way • Focus attention on a topic • Encourage active engagement in learning • Challenge • Reinforce learned material • Structure or guide the learning of a task • Assess • Encourage reflection on learning • Help clarify understanding• Model thinking • Access a particular type of thinking (e.g., critical, creative,

reflective) • Help make connections • Spark further questions • Motivate inquiries • Identify gaps in learning • Provide opportunities for learning through discussion


Effective Questioning

Questions should always be driven by purpose and context.When a question engages students and motivates them to askfurther questions or challenge their ideas, it has the potential totake students beyond their current thinking.

• Use questions that are predominantly open-ended, thought-provoking, and non-judgmental.

• Plan some questions in advance. Build up to the morechallenging questions so that students have time to gainconfidence.

• Focus on a few carefully constructed open-ended questions,rather than a quick succession of closed questions.

• Frame questions as clearly and concisely as possible.• Ask one question at a time.• Consider the need for think-time. Avoid the trap of answering

your own question if students are seemingly slow to respond.• Vary the strategies used so that questioning does not become

predictable.

• Ensure every student has the opportunity to respond to somequestions.

Teachers can encourage effective student questions by whatthey say, and by the ways they provide feedback to studentresponses, use silence, accept and clarify student questions.Points to consider for helping students to ask effectivequestions include

• building a shared language for questioning • introducing different questioning strategies and discussing

these with students • developing student awareness of different types of questions

and what type of thinking they require• making space for student questions and celebrating them.

This book encourages teachers to think about howquestioning is critical both for their own learning and theirstudents’ learning.

1. WHY ASK QUESTIONS?

5Out of the Question. Sally Godinho and Jeni Wilson. Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

6

Questions in Context

Who asks the questions in a classroom? In some classroomsthere is an expectation that the teacher will be the question-asker and students the question-answerers. The classroomculture needs to encourage students to be both question-askersand question-answerers.

Approaches to questioning may vary slightly in accordancewith the context—whole class, small group, or individualstudent.

Whole class Ensuring all students stay engaged can bechallenging. In order to manage the whole-class dynamic,control of the questioning process is essential:

• Be inclusive.• Redirect questions so that several students can respond.• Summarize responses to keep the class focused.• Make explicit your expectations about appropriate ways to

respond.

Small group Small-group learning offers greater opportunitiesfor students to build their question-asking and question-answering skills. In this context, the teacher can distributequestions more evenly and take the time to assist students inclarifying ideas through exploratory talk. It is also easier for theteacher to step back from a more controlling role and toencourage students to respond to one another.

Students need opportunities to lead their own small-grouplearning in discussions and group conferences. When studentsquestion each other about their learning, it has the potential togenerate higher-level thinking.

Individual student One-on-one scenarios in a conferencesituation provide excellent opportunities for students to reflecton their learning, and for teachers to monitor student learning.Questions need to be carefully framed so that the studentdoesn’t feel a sense of interrogation. In this context, question-asking and question-answering should be viewed as jointresponsibilities shared between teacher and student.


7

Encouraging Questions and Responses

It is important to make explicit your expectations aboutstudents being active question-askers. One approach is tojointly construct a chart identifying behaviors associated with aclassroom culture that values questions. In response to theprompts A question-friendly classroom is/is not ..., students writestatements about their beliefs and values.

The way teachers encourage and receive student responses toquestions transmits very explicit messages about theirexpectations of student learning and the classroom culture. If

the purpose of questioning is discussion, directing students topredetermined answers defeats the opportunity of open-endedquestions. When students think that a particular answer isrequired (or valued) it might discourage them from respondingto questions honestly. In the following example, the teacher’sresponses reduce an open-ended question to a closed questionwith a predetermined answer.

Teacher What does war cost? Student It costs love.Teacher Yes, good.Student It costs lives.Teacher Costs lives, certainly.Student It costs freedom.Teacher Yes, we had it here. Great point, but you haven’t got it.Student Identity.Teacher Good, but it wasn’t what I was thinking of. I’ll give you aclue. What didn’t he have?Student Love.Teacher Partly.Student Childhood and love.Teacher Childhood. That’s the one I like.

A question-friendly classroom isa place where

A question-friendly classroom isnot a place where

• different responses to aquestion are encouraged

• students build on each other’sresponses

• students are prepared tochallenge or contest a response

• students generate questions fordiscussions

• student responses to questionsare put down

• teachers are seen as thequestion-askers and students asthe question-answerers

• students recite a response to aquestion rather than discuss it


8

Handling Student Responses Getting Started

The activities and strategies in this book have many possibleadaptations and can be used with different age groups.

Strategy Description Application

Demonstrateactivelistening

Show students you areinterested in theirresponse.

Use nonverbal signals,such as facialexpressions, a nod, eyecontact, sitting forward.

Sustain thequestion

Use follow-up probesthat encourage theclarification, extension,or elaboration of aresponse. Encourage arange of responses to theone question.

Does anyone have adifferent opinion?Could you tell us a littlemore about that idea?Can you provide someevidence to support yourpoint of view?

Allow wait-time

Learn to be comfortablewith the silences, so thatwait-time is extended.Tell students why you arewaiting.

Use affirmativenonverbal signals (suchas a nod) that showengagement and provideencouragement.

Minimizefeedback

Affirm student responses,but avoid excessivepraise, which may silencealternative responses.

That an interesting view.Yes, that’s one way.Can anyone add to that?Thank you for that idea.

Topic DicePurpose: Evaluate student learning

Write questions related to the current topic on a large cube.One person at a time rolls the die and responds to thequestion.

Talk and Question TokensPurpose: Use of questions to initiate discussion

In a small group, distribute five yellow tokens (responses)and five blue tokens (questions) to each student. Each time aparticipant responds to a question or makes a comment, ayellow token must be returned to a tub; likewise a blue tokenwhen a question is asked. All participants must have theopportunity to use all their tokens.


2. QUESTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM

Types of Questions

A very broad way of categorizing questions is to type them asopen or closed. If a question is closed, the answer is non-negotiable and is simply recited; an open-ended questioninvites interpretation, there being no preconceived response.Open and closed questions are sometimes respectively referredto as divergent and convergent questions, lower-order cognitiveand higher-order cognitive questions, or sometimes (in studentlanguage) as fat and skinny questions. While there are subtledifferences, these terms are often used interchangeably.

Three broad categories that might assist when planning asequence of questions for a lesson or unit of work are cognitive,affective, and creative. It is essential to make these explicit tostudents so that they can expand their ways of considering andgenerating questions, and develop language skills associatedwith questioning.

9

Open and Closed Questions Purpose: Differentiate between open-ended and closedquestions

1. Write one topic word on a sticky note for each classmember and stick on the student’s back. To figure out whatis written on their label, students may ask only questionsthat have a yes or no response. Explain that these questionsare “closed” questions, as they don’t require students toengage in deeper-level thinking.

Discuss the benefits and disadvantages of questioning inthis way. Discuss any strategies the students might havedeveloped to find the answer.

2. Use postcards to demonstrate the way an open-endedquestion is constructed. As a class, construct five openquestions relating to the picture on a postcard. In smallgroups, students practice writing open questions for theirown postcards. Questions and cards are exchanged, and eachgroup uses their postcard and set of questions for a small-group discussion.


10

Self-Questions and Metacognition

Questions that elicit reflection and metacognition are veryimportant. Some argue that reflection and metacognition arecentral to learning. They assist in monitoring and self-regulating learning, particularly in student-centred classrooms.

Reflective questions engage the learner/thinker in purposefulconsideration of the effectiveness of actions and experiences.

Metacognitive questions focus on the learner’s awareness,evaluation, and regulation of their own thinking. Whenstudents use metacognition, questions relate to makingdecisions, choosing appropriate strategies and thinkingprocesses, self-assessing their own thinking, planning action,and setting goals.

Create question strips by copying and cutting apart studentquestions from the table to the right. Strips can be used toengage students in reflection and metacognition.

Reflective Examples of Questions

Teacher reflectionof teaching practice

What were the strengths of this lesson/unit?What were its weaknesses?How useful were the assessment tasks?

Questions to elicitstudent reflections

What team skills did your group use?What did you like about the activity?

Student reflection What did I contribute to the group?What aspects of my work need to be improved?What skills have I improved in this unit?

Metacognitive Examples of Questions

Teachermetacognition ofteaching practice

How can I support students’ learning?What did I learn about the way studentsprocess information?

Questions to elicitstudentmetacognition

Why might we be studying this topic? What are your big questions? What goals will you set for your learning?

Studentmetacognition

What do I want to find out?What questions do I have? How will I sourcethe information?What did I learn?What learning strategy worked best for me?


11

Different Levels of Cognition

Bloom’s Taxonomy of cognitive processes is readily adaptablefor designing questions that target specific levels of thinking.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Questions to Encourage Deeper Thinking

Thought-provoking questions provide a useful tool forsupporting students to take responsibility for thinking moredeeply, and generating more considered responses to questions.These questions require students to clarify, justify, and extendtheir ideas and opinions.

Cognitive Level Processes Verb Stems

Knowledge

Remembering

➔

Recalling factualinformation

name, state, define,repeat, list, recall

Comprehension

Understanding

➔

Understandinginformation

explain, identify,describe, compare,report, outline, tell,locate, review

Application

Applying

➔

Using previousknowledge, concepts,principles, or theoriesin new situations

apply, practice, use,demonstrate, illustrate,dramatize, interpret

Analysis

Analyzing

➔

Breaking informationinto parts and showingan understandingbetween the parts

analyze, contrast,compare, question,debate, relate, examine,identify

Cognitive Level Processes Verb Stems

Synthesis

Creating (Switched withEvaluating as thehighest level ofthinking)

➔

Generating new ideas,planning, andproducing

compose, propose,suggest, plan, design,construct, invent,formulate, create,arrange, prepare

Evaluation

Evaluating

➔

Critiquing, making ajudgment on the valuesof consistency of aprocess, product, oridea

judge, assess, decide,rate, evaluate, measure,estimate, choose


12

FairytalesPurpose: See the different levels of thinking that can berequired by a question

Introduce students to the following set of questions designedaround Bloom’s Taxonomy for the story Little Red RidingHood. Groups of students each take a different fairytale orstory and design their own questions.

The Q-MatrixPurpose: The development of questions that target differentthinking levels

(Adapted from Wiederhold 1995)

Put all the key words onto flashcards. Make two differentcolored sets: one with what, where, which, who, why, andhow; and another with is, did, can, would, will, and might.Students select a card from each set and brainstorm all thequestions they can think of containing those words.

Remembering Where did Little Red Riding Hood’sgrandmother live?

Understanding What was the purpose of Little Red RidingHood’s visit to her grandmother?

Applying If your grandmother was sick and you wentto visit her, what would you take her?

Analyzing Why do you think Little Red Riding did notrecognize the wolf?

Evaluating Do you think Little Red Riding Hood’smother behaved responsibly sending her tovisit Grandma on her own?

Creating How might the story have been different ifLittle Red Riding Hood had her cell phone?

Event Situation Choice Person Reason Means

Present Whatis...?

Where/when is...?

Whichis...?

Whois...?

Whyis...?

Howis...?

Past Whatdid...?

Where/when did...?

Whichdid...?

Whodid...?

Whydid...?

Howdid...?

Possibility Whatcan...?

Where/when can...?

Whichcan...?

Whocan...?

Whycan...?

Howcan...?

Probability Whatwould...?

Where/when would...?

Whichwould...?

Whowould...?

Whywould...?

Howwould...?

Prediction Whatwill...?

Where/when will...?

Whichwill...?

Whowill...?

Whywill...?

Howwill...?

Imagination Whatmight...?

Where/when might...?

Whichmight...?

Whomight...?

Whymight...?

Howmight...?


13

3. DEEPER THINKING

The Five WhysPurpose: Use probes to extend a response or acquire morein-depth information

This is a paired activity, in which one person takes the role ofquestioner and the other answers the questions. After eachresponse, the questioner uses the response to create a new“why” question. Each person needs to listen carefully to theother. The pair aims to ask five questions that get a new,usually more in-depth, answer.

Five is a random number; it is more important thatstudents listen and think carefully about their questions andresponses than that they reach the fifth question. It isinteresting to hear where each pair ends up—the finalquestion and response.Example:Question: Why do we have a school cafeteria?Answer: Because people want to buy lunch.Question: Why do people want to buy lunch?Answer: Because they prefer bought lunches to lunches theybring from home.Question: Why do they prefer lunches bought from thecafeteria?

You Are a Reporter Purpose: Frame questions that will elicit in-depthinformation

Students prepare questions to interview a peer. This could berelated to things they have been doing at school or home.They can use the questions to survey others and report backon their findings.

Thinking on Your Feet Purpose: Generate questions to clarify thinking

When students respond to questions in a standing position,more brain cells are activated. Plan some questioning thatrequires students to be on their feet. For example, create avalues continuum ranging from “strongly agree” to “stronglydisagree,” where students are asked to position themselves inrelation to particular statements. Once students arepositioned, question them about their stance, encouragingthem to be flexible in their thinking and to change positionsif convinced by the arguments of their peers.


14

The Affective Domain

Questions that address our feelings and emotions are associatedwith the affective domain. They are central to our hearts andsouls, and are sometimes referred to as essential questions(McKenzie 2000). These questions probe complex matters thatelude simple answers. Examples of these questions include

• What does it mean to have integrity? • Who do I consider to be somebody with integrity? • What does it mean to be a good friend? • Who do I consider to be my good friends? • How can I be a better friend?

Krathwohl et al’s (1964) Affective Domain Taxonomy isconcerned with emotional responses, and was designed tocomplement Bloom’s Taxonomy. While not as widely known toeducators as Bloom’s Taxonomy, its significance should not beoverlooked. Chambers (1994), known for his work in developingliterature circles and enhancing the quality of student discussion,advocates the importance of starting with questions that addressstudents’ emotional responses before moving on to moredirected questions. Typical questions would be

• What did you like the most? • Was there anything you did not like? • What was something that puzzled you? • Was there anything that made a pattern?

Instructional Objectives for the Affective Domain

(Adapted from Krathwohl et al 1964)

Cognitive Level

InstructionalObjectives

Useful Verbs for FramingQuestions

Receiving Listening orattendingclosely

recall, recognize, observe,select, reply, use, feel, identify,describe

Responding Showing activeinterest orenjoyment

answer, assist, compile, discuss,perform, present, tell, label,practise, report

Valuing Demonstratingcommitment,concern, orinvolvement

complete, form, join, justify,report, share, select, argue,study, persuade

Organization Constructing avalue system

adhere, alter, arrange,combine, compare, define,explain, identify, modify,synthesize, defend, integrate,articulate

Characterizationby value

Acting inaccordance withan establishedvalue system

discriminate, display,influence, qualify, question,revise, solve, verify, propose,review, judge, resolve, rate,conclude


15

Risk Taking

Asking questions and responding can feel risky to students,especially when dealing with issues that carry emotionalweight, or when points of view or opinions are in conflict.

It is important for students to learn about responding toeach other appropriately, particularly when contesting a peer’sresponse to a question. Reliance on teacher modeling ofappropriate ways to challenge an idea or opinion may notalways be sufficient. Some explicit teaching of the skills throughan activity can help students acquire the language required forframing such responses, and prevent disputational talk.

Providing students with some assistance in rehearsingresponses to a contested idea is a useful strategy. For example:

• Have you considered the point of view of...? • What about considering this point of view...? • I agree with what you say, but I also think...• Another way of looking at the situation is...• Yes, but what would you think if...? • That’s one way, but another possibility is...

Encourage students to develop their own lead-ins tochallenging a response. Their examples and the ones listedabove could be recorded on a chart or strips and can be used bystudents during small-group discussions.

Ensuring that students feel comfortable about challenging aresponse to a question should not be underestimated. Withoutthe necessary skills, students may be reluctant to contributealternative perspectives and ideas, resulting in conformity or agroupthink approach to discussion. If your aim is for studentsto explore ideas through open-ended, higher-order questions,they must learn to value a diversity of opinions and ideas.

Wear My ShoesPurpose: Ask questions that take into account otherperspectives and points of view

1. Students try to imagine being in someone else’s shoes.

Example:A war is about to break out in your city. What questionsmight be asked by local citizens, the military, the families ofthose in military service, etc.?

2. Alternatively, provide a range of old eyeglasses (lensesremoved) and have students wear them as props. Studentstry to “see” the issue being discussed using differentperspectives.


16

Considering All PointsPurpose: Challenge or contest a point of view that differsfrom your own appropriately and respectfully

Create question cards with generic questions.

Examples:• Why did you say that?• Is that a good enough reason?• What are some possible explanations?• When would that not happen?• How do you know?• What would the consequences be?• Do those two ideas agree?• How is that different from what was said?• What questions would be useful to ask?• What have we learned?

Students prepare posters with controversial statements.Display the posters and discuss why they are likely toproduce a range of diverse opinions. Discuss what mighthave influenced people to develop the views they hold.Students suggest ways they can respond politely to a viewwith which they disagree. Group members choose a questioncard to respond to another student’s views.

Emotional QuestioningPurpose: Develop questions that encourage emotiveresponses

Use multiple sets of cards with question types written onthem, as follows:

Organize the students into small groups. Provide eachgroup with a stimulus picture or an article selected from thenewspaper, and a set of question-type cards. Each groupprepares at least one question to match each question type.Students can then answer each other’s questions.

Prediction/imagination

What if...?What would happen if...?What could happen if...?

Quantity questions List all the things...How many ways...?

Compare-and-contrastquestions

How is it the same?How is it different?

Emotion andmotivation

Make ’em laugh; make ’em mad; make’em sad. (Discuss a controversial issue.Be provocative.)

Point of view How would an ant feel about anelephant?


17

4. EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

3 Cs and 3 PsPurpose: A user-friendly questioning framework that combines the cognitive and affective domains

This questioning model is a practical application of two of Bloom’s domains: cognitive and affective. It requires students tocritique, compare, make connections, consider a range of perspectives, personalize the issue/idea, and prioritize.

Think about it

Critique What do you know and believe? What might you expect to happen? What are all the factors involved? What are the gaps or silences? Whose view dominates?What are the strengths and weaknesses?

Compare What if you compare...? What are the similarities between ________ and________? What are the differences between ________ and________?

Connect If you put all the factors together, what are the bigideas? What are the main ideas? What relationships can you make? What are some of the causes and consequences?

Feel it and act on it

Ponderperspectives

What is another way of thinking about this? What perspective is missing? How would the situation change if...?

Personalize If you had to choose ______ what would youdecide? What is your opinion? What do you care most about? Who might have a different point of view? How could you apply your learning to your life? How does this fit with your thinking when westarted the unit? How does this relate to your situation? Have you changed your ideas? If so, how and why? How do your actions influence others?

Prioritize What is the most important? What is the least important? Which point do you need to address first? What can you leave until later?


18

Creative Thinking

There are eight processes identified with creative thinking:fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration align with thecognitive domain (thinking abilities); curiosity, complexity, risktaking, and imagination with the affective domain (feelingabilities). Higher-order thinking skills and creativity go hand-in-hand.

Processes Associated with Creative Thinking

(Adapted from Dalton 1985 & Gross et al 2001)

Description Examples

Elaboration Generatingenriched,embellished, orexpanded ideas

• How could you extend this idea to_______?

• If you wanted to get youngerchildren interested in this book,what would you say?

Risk taking Experimentingwith andexploring ideas

• If you took an opposite tack,what might the outcomes be?

• If you were forced to flee thecountry, what experiences mightyou have?

Complexity Improving andexplaining ideas

• What would happen if weadded...?

• How could we change the endresult?

Curiosity Pondering andquestioningideas

• What if...?• What if you had wings?• How might the government work

differently if children wereallowed to vote?

Imagination Visualizing andfantasizing ideas

• Imagine that...• Imagine that you were the leader

of the country for one day. Whatwould you do?

Description Examples

Fluency Generatingmany ideas

• Brainstorm different ideas abouthow technology will changeteaching and learning.

• List all the ideas you have forreusing damaged CDs.

Flexibility Generatingvaried,different, oralternative ideas

• What other perspectives are thereto consider?

• What other ways could thisproblem be solved?

Originality Generatingunusual,unique, or newideas

• A wildcard scenario might be...• What words might you have

spoken had you been the firstperson to step on the moon?


19

Encouraging Divergent Thinking

This model includes seven question types that connect acrossthe affective and cognitive domains.

Divergent Thinking Model

(Adapted from Dalton 1985)

Type ofQuestion Description Examples

Quantity Quantitativeexamination

• How many...?• What examples can you give?

Change Creative thinking • What if you...?• What if one element was changed?

Prediction Hypotheses,possible outcomes

• What might happen if...?• What would your hypothesis be?

Point of view Give opinion andjustify

• What’s your opinion?• Could you extend your idea by

considering another perspective?

Personalinvolvement

Personal point ofview

• If you were...• What’s your point of view?

Comparativeassociation

Compare andcontrast

• What are the differences andsimilarities between...?

Valuing Feelings • What is important to you?

Imagination Visualizing andfantasizing ideas

• Imagine that...• If you were the leader of the

country, what would you do?

Creative QuestioningPurpose: Develop questions that encourage creative thinking

Use multiple sets of cards with question types written onthem, as follows:

Organize the students into small groups. Provide each group with a stimulus picture or an article selected from the newspaper, and a set of question type cards. Each groupprepares at least one question to match each question type.Students can then answer each other’s questions.

Prediction/imagination

What if...?What would happen if...?What could happen if...?

Quantity questions List all the things...How many ways...?

Compare-and-contrastquestions

How is it the same?How is it different?

Emotion andmotivation

Make ’em laugh; make ’em mad; make’em sad. (Discuss a controversial issue.Be provocative.)

Point of view How would an ant feel about anelephant?


20

Six Thinking Hats Purpose: Thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively

De Bono’s six-hat thinking is a well-known strategy thatencourages different types of thinking. It can be used toreview student learning.

Hat General EnglishLiterature Focus

MathMultiplication

tables focus

White What haveyou learned?

After reading theintroduction, whatcan you say aboutthe characters andsetting?

What have youlearned in the lastweek?

Yellow What are thehighlights ofyour work?

What would yousay are some of thepositives of livingin thisera/place/family?

Whatmultiplicationtables do you nowknow well?

Black What thingscould youhave donebetter?

What difficulties doyou anticipate forthe characters inthe future?

Whatmultiplicationtables do you needto work on?

Hat General EnglishLiterature Focus

MathMultiplication

tables focus

Red What do youfeel aboutyouraccomplish-ments?

How have yourfeelings changedabout thecharacters? Whatissues in the bookconcerned you?

How do you feelabout yourprogress withlearning tables?

Green What couldyou havedonedifferently?

If you were theauthor, how wouldyou have startedthe storydifferently?

Is there anotherway you couldlearn your tables?

Blue What wouldyou say aboutyour progress?Whatquestions doyou now have?

What issues has theauthor tackled andignored? Whatquestions wouldyou like to ask theauthor?

Overall, what doyou think aboutyour understandingof multiplication?


21

SCAMPERPurpose: Design questions that encourage creative thinking

SCAMPER—Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify (Magnifyor Minimize), Put to use, Eliminate, and Rearrange (orReverse)—is a useful creative-questioning strategy. Like allstrategies, it should not be overused. It should be one ofseveral strategies in the questioning toolbox to encouragecreative thinking. Select the techniques that best suit yourpurposes, rather than use all seven at once. This strategymaybe applied to the study of a text or a unit of work:

• Adapting a product• Thinking about an issue differently• Solving a problem more creatively• Considering alternatives to existing structures, storylines,

etc.(Adapted from Erbele 1972)

Example:The questions in this sample are designed around the bookThe Wishing Cupboard (Hathorn & Stanley 2002)

5. CREATIVITY

S Substitute What items would you include in the wishingcupboard?

C Combine How might the story be different if Tran andLan had opened the wishing cupboardtogether?

A Adapt How would you adapt the design of thewishing cupboard to suit your purposes?

M Modify

Magnify

Retell the story from the perspective of themouse that visited the wishing cupboard.What might Lan add to the wishingcupboard if some drawers were added?

P Put toanother use

What would the wishing cupboard be usedfor in your home?

E Eliminate If all the items were removed, what might thefamily members now want to include?

R Reverse What might have happened if Tran’sgrandmother had flown with her brother tofind the special herb?


22

Developing Questioning Skills

The expectation that students will initiate questions must bedemonstrated by creating space for student questions withinlesson planning:

• When students ask questions, respond positively andattentively.

• Create spaces by remembering to ask: What questions wereraised for you by doing this activity? What questions does thistext raise? What questions do you have about today’s classplan?

• Begin a new topic by asking what questions students have.These can be listed, displayed, and referred to as the topicdevelops.

• Compile a list of questions students have before beginning atopic discussion.

• Model questions that seek to clarify thinking. Be prepared toexpress uncertainty and openly question an authoritative text.

• Ask students to use sticky notes to write down questions thatcome to mind as they read. These can then be brought to classto generate discussion.

• Introduce some games and strategies that build students’ skillsin constructing questions.

Dos and Don’ts

DO

• Give appropriate feedback for the types of questions youwant to encourage.

• Plan questions before the lesson.• Display questions around the room that capture students’

imagination and may challenge them to find the answers.• Jointly construct lists of great questions that have always

puzzled students about things, people, places, events, etc.• Model self-talk and self-questioning.• Allow time for students to think of an answer.• Use student responses to ask further questions.• Reflect on your techniques and strategies. Consider

videotaping a class discussion or eliciting feedback frompeers or students.

DON’T

• Ask a string of questions simultaneously.• Neglect to sustain the question with probes.• Ask a question and answer it too (rhetorical question).• Target the same students every time or ask only students

you think will give the best responses.• Use questioning as a behavioral management tool.• Begin with a very challenging question before students are

feeling confident.• Allow inadequate think-time for higher-order questions.• Overlook the implications of answers.• Insist on giving verbal feedback to every answer.


23

6. A QUESTION OF SKILL

What’s in the Box? Purpose: Develop strategic questioning skills by applying theprocess of elimination

Place an object in a box and wrap it like a present. Tellstudents they cannot guess what’s in it until they areabsolutely sure. They must ask yes-or-no questions about theobject until they are secure in their guesses. If they guessincorrectly the game is over.

Example:

Question Y/N

Is it alive? No

Was it ever alive? No

Is it round? Yes

Is it bigger than a hand? No

Is it soft? No

Is it solid? No

Is it white? Yes

Is it breakable? Yes

Is it an egg? Yes

Celebrity HeadsPurpose: Be a strategic questioner by applying the process ofelimination

Select three or four students to sit at the front of the classfacing the others. Give each a word they have not seen toplace on his or her head. To guess their own words they taketurns asking yes-or-no questions of the audience. If they geta yes response, they get the chance to ask another question; ano response means they have to wait until their next turn.The game ends when one person guesses the word on his orher head. A clue might be given at the beginning to narrowthe guessing field; e.g., they are all mammals.

Take a StandPurpose: Develop skills of asking and answering, and ofevaluating responses to questions

The class is divided into three groups. One group must takea position on a problem and another group takes theopposite position. The third group develops a list ofquestions for both positions. After hearing the responses, thethird group must make a considered decision about how theproblem might be solved.


24

Questions about QuestioningWhen do you tell students the answers? In student-centred classrooms, students have the majorresponsibility for posing and finding out the answers to theirown questions. If teachers answer their questions, students willnot have anything to answer themselves. However, there aresituations when teachers should answer student questions toavoid student frustration and to allow them to move forward:

• the necessary resources are unavailable or unsuitable • students have tried to answer their questions for a reasonable

amount of time • an answer is needed for students to complete the task • students are becoming frustrated or discouraged by dead ends

to their answer seeking • a simple answer will allow students to proceed onto a more

complex task

How do you assess questions? The type of questions that students ask—such as critical,creative, or reflective questions—are generally assessedinformally; for example, through observation of studentparticipation in whole-class and small-group discussions, andthrough questions students pose for project work, inquiry units,and reflective journal entries. A rubric has been developed forthis book (see p. 27); however, rubrics work most effectivelywhen they are jointly constructed by the teacher and students tomeet the individual needs of the class.

Audio or videotaping a discussion is particularly useful forassessment of teacher and student questioning.

How do I build questions into my plan? While questions are asked spontaneously in relation to studentcomments and lesson outcomes, planning of some keyquestions or discussion statements can improve the quality ofquestioning. If an inquiry-based unit is being undertaken, somefocus questions can be generated at different stages of theinquiry process. Similarly, planning of specific questions canoccur for different stages of a lesson. When planning keyquestions

• Make questions clear and succinct.• Sequence questions in a logical order.• Match questions to students’ experience and abilities.• Focus on eliciting higher-order thinking, generalizing, and

conceptualizing rather than recalling factual information.

Generic questions for stages of a unit/lesson Beginning What do you need to do/know to get the task done? What different methods/approaches could be useful? How does this task connect with other tasks you have done? How will you ensure everybody contributes to the task?

During What do you remember from last time that may be helpful? How are you progressing? Do you need to change your strategies? What information do you still need?

End What achievements are you most proud of? What is something that has taken your interest? What is something new that you have learned? What is something that still confuses or puzzles you?


25

7. ASSESSING THE QUESTIONING PROCESS

What if students don’t ask good questions? Ask any parent and they will tell you that children ask endlessand complex questions. However, they may be reluctant to doso at school. The following ideas might encourage studentquestioning:

• Model interesting and varied questions.• Make time for questions throughout the lessons.• Instead of asking students questions, tell them the answers

and have them pose appropriate questions.• Display questions around the room with the answers that have

been found by students.• Create situations that arouse student curiosity.• Initiate awards for the best questions. Categories could be

determined by the class.• Use student questions for discussions.• Ask questions that make students want/need to seek outside

of the classroom.• Discuss different types of questions and identify them when

used.• Have students design quizzes for others.• Use questioning taxonomies and strategies to structure and

vary questions.• Play games with questions.

Assessment and Record-keeping

Some formal record keeping is useful for assessing thedevelopment of students’ questioning strategies and skills, andfor evaluating the effectiveness of the teaching focus onquestioning. While ongoing monitoring may occur informally,evidence is needed to demonstrate student improvement, albeitin a qualitative way, to parents and for school record-keepingpurposes.

Sticky notes may be helpful for anecdotal observations aboutthe type of questions students initiate and their responsivenessto questions in small-group and whole-class discussions. Notescan then be transferred to formal record-keeping procedures. Areproducible for record-keeping is provided on page 28, andthe rubric on page 27 is an alternative way in which studentscan self-assess their achievements.

Question AwardsPurpose: Celebrate and encourage effective questioning

Students generate questions that might be nominated as mostcreative, most thought-provoking, most controversial, etc.

Question Award

Awarded to_________________________________

For the most ______________ question

Question:

Signed: _____________________


SUPPORTING STUDENT QUESTIONS

Teachers sh

ould th

ink abou

t the types of

question

s they w

ould ask as part of

the plan

nin

gprocess.T

he follow

ing ch

ecklist may be u

seful to h

elp reflect on th

e strategies,structu

res,and

support given

to developing effective qu

estions in

the classroom

.Usu

allySom

etimes

Never

Do I m

odel a variety ofqu

estions an

d qu

estionin

g strategies?❑

❑❑

Do I th

ink abou

t the pu

rpose ofth

e question

?❑

❑❑

Do I in

clude qu

estions w

hen

plann

ing?

❑❑

❑

Do I m

ake time for stu

dents to ask qu

estions

and fin

d out th

e answ

ers for them

selves?❑

❑❑

Have I organ

ized opportun

ities for studen

ts to adopt differen

t question

ing roles?

❑❑

❑

Do I u

se studen

ts’prior know

ledge to help

furth

er their ideas?

❑❑

❑

Do I en

courage stu

dents to discu

ss their th

inkin

g?❑

❑❑

Do I sh

ow th

at I am in

terested in differen

t types of

question

s?❑

❑❑

Do I u

se self-assessmen

t to elicit self-question

ing?

❑❑

❑

Do I u

se probing qu

estions rath

er than

just acceptin

g th

e first answ

er to question

s?❑

❑❑

Do I explain

why I asked a particu

lar question

?❑

❑❑

Do I verbalize qu

estions abou

t my ow

n action

s?❑

❑❑

Do I en

courage stu

dents to listen

to each oth

er an

d ask question

s ofeach

other?

❑❑

❑

Do I en

courage stu

dents to listen

to a range of

possible answ

ers?❑

❑❑

Have I establish

ed an environ

men

t wh

ere studen

ts feel free to ask qu

estions an

d take risks?❑

❑❑

Do I allow

wait-tim

e for studen

ts to answ

er qu

estions?

❑❑

❑

Do I listen

to studen

t ideas and bu

ild on th

eir respon

ses?❑

❑❑


27

© 2007 O

ut ofthe Question

by Sally Godin

ho an

d Jeni W

ilson.Pem

broke Pu

blishers Lim

ited.All righ

ts reserved.Permission

to reproduce for classroom

use.

SELF-A

SSESSM

EN

T R

UB

RIC

Nam

e:______________________________

Circle th

e description th

at applies to you.

An

effective question

I recently asked:

___________________________________________

Two aspects of

question

ing I w

ant to im

prove:• ______________________________

• ______________________________

My plan

ofaction

is _________________________________________________________

Qu

estion-

asking

Qu

estion-

answ

ering

Qu

estion types

Plan

nin

g

Self-m

onitorin

g

Risk takin

g

I always ask qu

estions

confiden

tly;to clarify my

thin

king;to seek m

orein

formation

;to criticallyan

alyze inform

ation;an

dto get feedback fromoth

ers.

I always u

se thin

k-time

wh

en respon

ding to

complex qu

estions;

respect different ideas;

and am

flexible in m

yth

inkin

g.

I always con

sider the

purpose for m

yqu

estion;an

d use

different types of

question

s for different

purposes.

I always u

se question

s toassist in

the plan

nin

g,organ

izing,an

dreview

ing of

my w

ork.

I always ask qu

estions to

check m

y progress;assess m

y learnin

g;make

conn

ections betw

eenideas;an

d set futu

regoals.

I am alw

ays prepared toask qu

estions abou

tten

tative ideas;to askcreative qu

estions;an

dto ch

allenge ideas

different from

min

e.

I usu

ally ask question

scon

fidently;to clarify m

yth

inkin

g;to seek more

inform

ation;to critically

analyze in

formation

;and

to get feedback fromoth

ers.

I usu

ally use th

ink-tim

ew

hen

respondin

g tocom

plex question

s;respect differen

t ideas;an

d am flexible in

my

thin

king.

I usu

ally consider th

epu

rpose for my

question

;and u

sedifferen

t types ofqu

estions for differen

tpu

rposes.

I usu

ally use qu

estions to

assist in th

e plann

ing,

organizin

g,and

reviewin

g ofm

y work.

I usu

ally ask question

s toch

eck my progress;

assess my learn

ing;m

akecon

nection

s between

ideas;and set fu

ture

goals.

I am u

sually prepared to

ask question

s about

tentative ideas;to ask

creative question

s;and

to challen

ge ideasdifferen

t from m

ine.

I sometim

es askqu

estions con

fidently;to

clarify my th

inkin

g;toseek m

ore inform

ation;

to critically analyze

inform

ation;an

d to getfeedback from

others.

I sometim

es use th

ink-

time w

hen

respondin

g tocom

plex question

s;respect differen

t ideas;an

d am flexible in

my

thin

king.

I sometim

es consider th

epu

rpose for my

question

;and u

sedifferen

t types ofqu

estions for differen

tpu

rposes.

I sometim

es usequestion

s to assist in the

plann

ing,organ

izing,an

dreview

ing of

my w

ork.

I sometim

es askqu

estions to ch

eck my

progress;assess my

learnin

g;make

conn

ections betw

eenideas;an

d set futu

regoals.

I am som

etimes prepared

to ask question

s about

tentative ideas;to ask

creative question

s;and to

challenge ideas differen

tfrom

min

e.

I never ask qu

estions

confiden

tly;to clarify my

thin

king;to seek m

orein

formation

;to criticallyan

alyze inform

ation;or

to get feedback fromoth

ers.

I never u

se thin

k-time

wh

en respon

ding to

complex qu

estions;

respect different ideas;or

am flexible in

my

thin

king.

I never con

sider the

purpose for m

yqu

estion;or u

se different

types ofqu

estions for

different pu

rposes.

I never u

se question

s toassist in

the plan

nin

g,organ

izing,or review

ing

ofm

y work.

I never ask qu

estions to

check m

y progress;assess m

y learnin

g;make

conn

ections betw

eenideas;or set fu

ture goals.

I am n

ever prepared toask qu

estions abou

tten

tative ideas;to askcreative qu

estions;or to

challen

ge ideas different

from m

ine.


28

© 2007 O

ut ofthe Question

by Sally Godin

ho an

d Jeni W

ilson.Pem

broke Pu

blishers Lim

ited.All righ



use.

© 2007 O

ut ofthe Question

by Sally Godin

ho an

d Jeni W

ilson.Pem

broke Pu

blishers Lim

ited.All righ



use.

ASSE

SSME

NT

CH

EC

KLIST

Nam

e:________________________________

Qu

estion-askin

gO

FTE

NSO

ME

TIM

ES

NE

VE

RC

OM

ME

NT

SA

sks question

s confiden

tly

Initiates qu

estions in

a discussion

context

Asks clarification

question

s

Asks divergen

t question

s

Asks qu

estions to exten

du

nderstan

ding

Directs qu

estions to p

eers

Asks qu

estions to get feedback from

others

Takes risks with

question

-asking

Asks critically an

alytical question

s

Qu

estion-an

swerin

g

Takes thin

k-time before an

swerin

gcom

plex question

s

Is prepared to explore tentative ideas

Con

tests ideas and opin

ions

appropriately

Respects th

at people have differen

tperspectives an

d points of

view

Plan

nin

g

Uses effective qu

estions to focu

s aninvestigation

Uses qu

estions to organ

ize anapproach

to a task

Uses qu

estions to review

work

Self-mon

itoring

Uses qu

estions to self-regu

late and

mon

itor progress

Uses qu

estions to m

ake conn

ections

between

ideas

Uses reflective qu

estions to assess

learnin

g


RE

SOU

RC

ES

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Erbele,R

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ublication

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arol and San

di Zw

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ducational Objectives: T

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ffective Dom

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ooperative Learning and Higher-Level T

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-Matrix

SanJu

an C

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A:K

agan C

ooperative Learnin

g

29


(Activity titles are in

italics)

3 Cs and 3 Ps,17

Affective dom

ain,14,17,18,19

Instru

ctional objectives,14

Affective D

omain

Taxonom

y,14A

llowin

g wait-tim

e,8A

nalyzin

g,11,12A

pplying,11,12

Assessm

ent,25

Ch

ecklist,28

Bloom

’s Taxonom

y,11,12,14,17

Celebrity H

eads,23C

lassroom cu

lture,7

Cogn

itionD

ifferent levels of,9,11,14

Cogn

itive domain

,17,18,19C

ompare,17

Com

plexity,18C

onn

ect,17C

onsidering All Points,16

Con

textIn

dividual stu

dent,6

Small grou

p,6W

hole class,6

Creatin

g,11,12C

reating space,22

Creative Q

uestioning,19C

reative thin

king,18,19

Critiqu

e,17C

uriosity,18

Dem

onstratin

g active listenin

g,8D

iscussion

,8D

ivergent th

inkin

g model,19

Elaboration

,18Em

otional Questioning,16

Evaluatin

g,11,12

Fairytales,12Feelin

g abilities,18T

he Five Whys,13

Flexibility,18Flu

ency,18

Imagin

ation,18

In-depth

inform

ationA

cquirin

g,13E

liciting,13

Metacogn

ition,10

Min

imizin

g feedback,8

Open and C

losed Questions,9

Origin

ality,18

Personalize,17

Plan

nin

g,27,28Pon

der perspectives,17P

rioritize,17P

rocess ofelim

ination

,23

The Q

-Matrix,12

Question A

wards,25

Qu

estion strips,10,15

Qu

estionin

gA

pproaches to,6

Developin

g skills,22,23D

os and don’ts,22

Effective,5,25

Em

otional,16

En

couragin

g,5Fram

ework/m

odel,17P

lann

ing,13

Process,6

Pu

rpose,7Q

uestion

s about,24

Skills,4,22,23Strategic,23Strategy,21

Qu

estions

Abou

t question

ing,24

Acceptin

g,5A

ffective,9,14A

nsw

ering,6,23,27,28

Askin

g,4,5,6,7,15,22,23,27,28C

ategorizing,9

Ch

ange,19

Clarifyin

g,5C

losed,5,7,9C

ognitive,9

Com

parative association,19

Com

pare-and-con

trast,16,19C

ompilin

g,22C

onstru

cting,22

Con

text,6C

onvergent,9

Creative,9,19

Deeper th

inkin

g,11D

esignin

g,11,12,21D

eveloping,15,19

Distribu

ting,6

Divergen

t,9E

ffective,4,5E

motion

and m

otivation,16,19

En

couragin

g,5,7,11Fram

ing,5,6,13

Gen

erating,13

Gen

eric,16,24H

elping stu

dents to ask,5

High

er-order cognitive,9,15

Imagin

ation,16,19

Initiatin

g,22Low

er-order cognitive,9

Metacogn

itive,10M

odelling,22

Non

-judgm

ental,5

Op

en-en

ded,5,7,9,15Person

al involvemen

t,19P

lann

ing,5,22,27,28

Point of

view,16,19

Prediction

,16,19Q

uan

tity,19R

eflective,10R

esult of,4

Rh

etorical,22Sequ

ence,9

Studen

t,5,22Su

pporting stu

dent,26

Sustain

ing,8

Th

ough

t-provoking,5,11

Types,9,19,27V

aluin

g,7,19

Record keepin

g,25R

eflection,10

Rem

emberin

g,11,12R

esponses/respon

ding,15,22

Ch

allengin

g,15E

motive,16

En

couragin

g,7Evalu

ating,23

Exten

ding,13

Han

dling stu

dent,8

Reh

earsing,15

Risk takin

g,15,18,27

SCA

MP

ER

,21Self-assessm

ent ru

bric,27Self-m

onitorin

g,27,28Self-qu

estions,10

Six Thinking H

ats,20Stu

dent learn

ing

Evaluatin

g,8R

eviewin

g,20

Take a Stand,23Talk and Q

uestion Tokens,8T

hin

k-time,5

Th

inkin

gC

larifying,13,22

Creative,18,19,20,21

Critical,20

Divergen

t,19E

ncou

raging,19

Reflective,20

Th

inkin

g abilities,18T

hinking on Your Feet,13Topic D

ice,8

Un

derstandin

g,11,12

Wear M

y Shoes,15W

hat’s in the Box?,23

You Are a R

eporter,13

INDEXOut of the Question. Sally Godinho and Jeni Wilson. Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved. No reproduction without written permission.

Pem

broke P

ub

lishers

538 Hood R

oadM

arkham

,On

tario,Can

ada L3R 3K

9w

ww

.pembrokepu

blishers.com

Distribu

ted in th

e U.S.by Sten

hou

se Pu

blishers

477 Con

gress StreetPortlan

d,ME

04101w

ww

.stenh

ouse.com

© 2007 Sally G

odinh

o and Jen

i Wilson

A

ll rights reserved.

No part of

this pu

blication m

ay be reproduced in

any form or by any m

eans electron

ic or mech

anical,

inclu

ding ph

otocopy,recording,or any in

formation

,storage or retrieval system,w

ithou

t perm

ission in

w

riting from

the pu

blisher.

Every effort has been

made to con

tact copyright h

olders for permission

to reproduce borrow

ed material.

Th

e publish

ers apologize for any such

omission

s and w

ill be pleased to rectify them

in su

bsequen

t reprints

ofth

e book

Th

is edition is adapted from

a book originally titled H

ow to Succeed w

ith Questioning,pu

blished in

2004 in

Au

stralia by Cu

rriculu

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orporation —

ww

w.cu

rriculu

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e Book P

ublish

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rogram (B

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r publish

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owledge th

e Govern

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edia Developm

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tario Book In

itiative.

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d A

rchives C

anad

a Catalogu

ing in

Pu

blication

Godin

ho,Sally

Ou

t ofth

e question

:guidin

g studen

ts to a deeper un

derstandin

g ofw

hat th

ey see,read,hear,an

d do / Sally Godin

ho an

d Jeni W

ilson.

Inclu

des index.

Origin

ally publish

ed un

der title:How

to succeed w

ith qu

estionin

g.ISB

N 978-1-55138-214-2

1.Q

uestion

ing.

2.Teach

ing.

3.Learn

ing.

I.W

ilson,Jen

i II.

Title.

LB

1027.44.G63 2007

371.102 C

2007-901520-4

Editors:K

at Mototsu

ne,R

ebecca Hill

Cover D

esign:Joh

n Z

eheth

oferTypesettin

g:Jay Tee Graph

ics Ltd.

Prin

ted and bou

nd in

Can

ada9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Ackn

owled

gemen

tsM

any ofth

e examples in

this book w

ere inspired by practicin

g classroom teach

ers.Oth

ers have been

developed or pu

blished w

ith ou

r dear friends an

d colleagues.W

e than

k them

for their gen

erosity and

acknow

ledge the con

tribution

s ofC

olleen A

bbott,Karen

Biggeleau

,Dee C

lemen

ts,Robyn

En

glish,

Kath

Mu

rdock,Susan

Wilks,Teresa Ston

e,and Lesley W

ing Jan

.Th

anks to th

e teachers of

Ballan

P.S.

Special than

ks to Carol K

oechlin

for her con

tribution

to this edition

.


Out of the Question provides teachers with starting points for establishing a “question-friendly classroom.” Each step in this handy book helps students and teachers learn strategically as they explore layers of questioning and practical applications for understanding their respective worlds more fully.

Carol Koechlin, co-author of Q Tasks

Asking questions, when you care about the answers, is pivotal to learning how to learn. �is 32-page ipchart encourages you to critically question what you see, read, hear, and do. Easy and inviting, Out of the Questionexplores the key issues:

• Why ask questions?• Nurturing questions in the classroom • Promoting deeper thinking• Generating an emotional response• Encouraging creativity• Building questioning skills• Assessing the question process

At the root of this practical book are activities to help you recognize e.ective questions that help you decide what is relevant, what is of interest, what is legitimate, what is authentic, and what requires further investigation. From the responsibilities of both teacher and student in question-asking and question-answering, to the structure of questions, to a rubric and checklist for assessing the process, this book is a quick and easy reference to the basics.

Pembroke Publishers Limited538 Hood RoadMarkham, ON L3R 3K9 Canadawww.pembrokepublishers.com Front Cover Photo: Don Farrall /Photodisc Red / Getty Images


out ofthe question.sally godinho and jeni wilson.copyright

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