Questioning

All our knowledge results from questions,
which is another way of saying that
questioning is our most important
intellectual tool.

Neil Postman

So what are we doing to make sure our students have the questioning skills they will need? Are we modelling good questions and answers?

I have found that students love the challenge of asking questions that will get them the knowledge they want. Often I have found if you answer the questions they ask in the way they are asked, not the way you know the students meant to ask them, they will find the right question very quickly.

For example,
Student asks, “Can you spell …?”
The teacher usually answers either by spelling the word or tells them to use a dictionary.
But, what if the teacher answered, “Yes”?
The student may look puzzled, but nine times out ten they will try to ask another question to get what they want.
They find it a challenge and when it’s framed up in the right way they find it a lot of fun – motivation!

Right question, right time, right learning!