Questioning can be the harderst part of a lesson. How can we, as educators, ensure that students are learning the material, feel confident in their responses, and have a sense of contributing to the classroom community?
I've learned a lot through the years and I've had my fair share of victories and mistakes. Throughout that time, I've been able to pull from different techniques in an attempt to give each student the confidence to raise their hand and take a chance.
Pick the Hesitant Kid First
We all know which kids will be the first to shoot their hand up to answer a question. They love to share their knowledge and thrive off of answering correctly. On the flip side, we know which kids never put their hand up and would rather feed it to a wood chipper than volunteer a response.
So, if the wood chipper kid goes for it, call on them! They are taking a huge risk. Support them; even if you suspect it may be a bit messy getting to an answer.
If the hesitant kid never puts their hand up... ever, and you would like to hear from them, I have a technique that will ease them into raising their hand and sharing ideas.
Ask a very basic question; a question that has multiple correct responses or is based on thoughts/feelings. Or, a question that does not have an incorrect answer. Ask that question, give the students time to think, then choose the hesitant kid. Choose them first so that the "easy answer" can't be said by someone else first.
Examples:
- Name a character in this story.
- What is your favorite holiday?
- What does the word "xxx" mean to you?
- What is a multiple of the number 5?
By giving the hestitant kid a chance to answer the easier questions, you will be helping them build up the confidence to tackle a harder question later on.
Think Time
If you've been in the trenches for awhile, you know that students process at different speeds. Even if their hand is up, they may still need a bit of time to process a verbal answer. Give them time. Be patient.
If it looks like they can't retrieve the information, ask them, "Do you need a bit longer?" If they want the time, let them off the hook and tell them to pop their hand up once they've got it. Promise to come right back to them and then keep your word. You'll have to keep scanning for their their hand to go back up, but it will be worth it when you go back to them and make sure they are part of the conversation.
Keep a Balance
Years ago I had an adminstrator keep a tally during an observation. She marked how many times I called on a boy versus calling on a girl. I hadn't even thought about that! I was close to even, but that was a happy coincidence. Moving forward, I always keep a running score in my head. If I call on two girls in a row, I then call on two boys. Make a cognitive effort to keep it even. It may not seem like other people notice (admins, students, TAs), but they do.
One Student Owns the Question
Once you have selected a student to answer a question, they own it. I will work with that student as long as necessary to get them to an answer. I use a delving technique (see below) to help guide them to a correct response.
If all the attempts to delve and guide do not work, there are two choices: give the answer or have the student choose someone to assist. The question being asked determines which choice I make. For instance, if it's a math question (where there is oftentimes just one correct answer) I will have the student choose a person to answer. If it's an open-ended question, I might give one possible answer or list what's been already shared, to see if it triggers another idea from the student.
One common occurrence will be for other students to raise their hands when the student called on is struggling to come up with an answer. Refuse to call on them. Stay focused on the student who owns the question. For the first couple of months it is very common for me to say, "Put your hands down, it's Johnny's question." I let the class know that raising their hand for another student's question is futile.
Over time, students learn that if they are called on they own the question. And if assistance or ideas are needed, they are the ones who will call on someone for help. The only person who can call on another student is the one who owns the question.
Delve the Question
Questioning techniques take time and experience to develop. The way I question students now is vastly different from the way I did when I first started out teaching. I've learned over time that delving is highly effective and is an excellent way to help a student work their way toward an answer.
Delving can be difficult at first. There is an art and science to it. However, think of a funnel. Structure your questioning by starting with the widest possible question that offers many options for a correct response. Granted, this doesn't work for everything, but you can use this technique in many parts of the day. If the student you have called on struggles to come up with an answer, start to "funnel down". This is the delve. If a student has had appropriate think time, ask the question again in a different way. Depending on the student, a differently worded question will prompt a response. For others, it may be a simple repeat.
The next step will be to ask again and narrow down a parameter of the question. Keep moving down the funnel. At some point, you may be asking the student a 50/50 question. Cross your fingers they pick the correct answer. But, even if they don't, it's ok. Give the correct answer. Do not call on another student. I will write it again - do not call on another student. Once a student has been called on for a question - they own it. As stated above, the only person that can call on another student is the student who owns the question.
One example of how to delve a question:
T: Who can name a European explorer who sailed to present day New York?
S: Christopher Columbus.
T: Ohh- great start. We know that he sailed from Europe and journaled about his time in the Caribbean. But, we don't have any documents that tell us he sailed this far north. Can you think of someone else?
S: ...
T: We know that Columbus was Italian and sailed for Spain. We learned about other explorers that sailed for Spain. Also, England, the Dutch, and France. Can you remember any of those guys?
S: ...
T: We have some things in New York named after them. Can you think of any famous rivers or lakes or bridges named for a European explorer?
S: ...
T: What is one of our famous rivers that we have learned about?
S: The Hudson?
T: Right! Do you remember that guy's first name?
S: Ummm, Henry?
T: Yup. What else do you remember about his voyage?
Once you get to an asnwer, you can always follow up with a short Q and A to keep the conversation going and give the student another opportunity to share their knowledge.
If they can't recall a name, you can try to give them a "fill in the blank".
T: What is one of our famous lakes we have learned about?
S: ...
T: In the northern part of the state.
S: ...
T: Lake _______
S: ...
T: Samuel de _______
S: Champlain.
T: Yes! What else can you remember about his voyage?
Again, follow up with a bit more about Champlain. Invite the student to keep sharing and give them another opportunity to be in on the conversation.
Repeat Responses
If you have called on a student after some answers have been given, and the student is coming up short, try to list off what has been already shared to give their brain a jolt.
T: Who can name another European explorer?
S: ...
T: We have heard the names Columbus, de Champlain, and Hudson. Who else sailed over here?
S: ...
T: Who was the Italian guy that has a bridge named after him, the one who sailed for France?
S: Verrazzano.
Connect Their Dots
Many times a student may give a wrong answer for a good reason. Their brain may be firing and connecting to something they learned from another lesson or experience. The connection might be caused by things such as: a vocabulary word, a time frame, or geographic area. Help them connect the dot to why that answer popped into their head and solidify a correct connection in their memory bank.
One example of how to connect a dot:
T: Who can name a European explorer who sailed to present day New York?
S: Lewis and Clark.
T: Ahhh, I can see why you might think that. They were very famous explorers hired by our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. They explored the land west of the Mississippi River. They documented their travels much like the European explorers we have learned about. But, they explored during the early 1800's; a couple hundred years before the time we are talking about. Can you think of someone who explored during the Age of Exploration? (1400s-1600s)
In this example the teacher can help the student correctly connect the dots between the question being asked and their thinking. Giving a bit more information to the student (explaining why their answer connects to the question) and helping them wire it correctly for the next time they need the information.
If you have a timeline to reference (or other visuals), show the student "where" their answer lies and "where" the question lies. Or, if your students have notebooks, digital notes, etc... you can also have them refer back to discover a correct answer. Too often, students think that using resources is a "cheat". I try to instill in my class that it is actually the opposite. I want them to feel the empowerment of looking up a correct answer, knowing the correct place to find information, and connecting their own dots.
Keep Practicing
Questioning techniques take years to develop. Just as we tell our students that the best way to become a better reader is to read, the best way to become a better questioner is to question!
If you do misstep, dust yourself off and try again. And, don't be too discouraged when you give the answer while in the middle of questioning... after 20+ years it still happens to me. I've resigned myself to the fact there is no cure for that particular "whoops"!