Questioning

Teacher standards 4 and 6

Questioning

Strategy for Lesson

Strategy for training from mentor

Cold call and wait time

Use the question, pause, name format when you ask questions: 'How does Lady Macbeth emasculate Macbeth...Jason?'

Script questioning session for an upcoming class, carefully scripting the question to follow the Question, Pause, Name format. Rehearse this with the teacher.

Make sure they are all listening

Build a serious culture of listening by ensuring that all students track the speaker at all times. First, use the phrase, 'track ____' to remind students.

For an upcoming lesson, have the teacher rehearse a questioning sequence, ensuring they insert the phrase track before they give the name of the student who will answer.

Make sure they are all listening

Build a serious culture of listening by ensuring that all students track the speaker at all times. Move around the classroom and redirect students who are not tracking by using a non-verbal.

Rehearse a questioning session. Ensure that the teacher scans the classroom and redirects off-task behaviour using an appropriate non-verbal.

Make sure they are all listening

Ensure that you explain to your class the importance of speaking loudly to their classmates. 'It is vital that we speak loudly enough for everyone to hear because this helps us to learn from each other.' You can also talk about the importance of confident speech for careers, job interviews etc

Script what the teacher will say to their students to emphasise the importance of volume. Rehearse this and give feedback on clarity and brevity.

Make sure they are all listening

Ensure that there is complete silence in the room, with all equipment down, before asking questions to the whole class. Be stubborn about this.

Rehearse the cue that the teacher will use for silence before embarking upon a questioning session. Ensure that the teacher holds students accountable for their silence during this time.

Make sure they are all listening

If you know that a student is not confident in providing a response to the whole class, go to them first in the task before and give them feedback so they already know they are correct when you call on them in front of the class

Discuss the students in the teacher's class that are not confident when speaking in front of the class. Decide on a strategy for these students. Script what the teacher will say to these students.

Failing to respond to a question - not trying

If a student gets an answer wrong or fails to respond, you can respond by: 1) Giving them the answer and having them repeat it (for behavioural opting out).

Script out the response the teacher would make to a student who opts out of answering the question. Role play this, giving the teacher feedback on their dealing with the issue warmly but firmly. The sequence should always end with the student repeating the correct answer.

Failing to respond to a question - but tried

If a student gets an answer wrong or fails to respond, you can respond by: 2) providing a cue to help them get the answer.

Role-play a questioning sequence from an upcoming lesson, with you playing different students so that the teacher has a chance to play out the process of coming back to students who get an answer wrong. Have the teacher give an appropriate cue for the student to arrive at the correct answer.

Partially correct answers and high expectations

If students give a partially correct answer do not accept it: hold out for one that is 100% correct: ask a specific leading question - 'What about Shakespeare's use of the word feud?

Script out the response the teacher would make to a student who gets a partially correct answer, based on a lesson the teacher will teach in the next day / week. Role play this, having the teacher practise asking specific leading questions designed to lead students to providing a fuller answer.

Partially correct answers and staying positive

If students give a partially correct answer, do not accept it: be positive about what has been achieved so far, but honest about what needs to be done - 'I like most of what you said there.'

Script out the response the teacher would make to a student who gets a partially correct answer, based on a lesson the teacher will teach in the next day / week. Work on a bank of generic phrases that acknowledge the good work the student has done but is clear that there is more to do. Role play these phrases with the teacher.

They attempt to answer the question but don't use the correct terminology

Insist the students use subject specific terminology in their answers.

Create a word wall/chart with key academic terms you will want students to use in their answers. Script in moments when the teacher can punch key vocabulary terms when modelling. Script ideal student responses that include key vocabulary terms. Script the prompts to use when students do not use mathematical/ scientific/academic language: 'That is the right idea. Now state it again using your Academic Word Wall as a resource.'

They answer the question correctly - stretch them with extended response

Reward right answers with stretched questions by: asking a 'how' or 'why' question.

Identify moments in the lesson plan where students might get to correct answers easily. Script stretched questions to increase the rigour of those moments: e.g., how/why, cite evidence, evaluate the answer.

They answer the question correctly - stretch them with a different working of the same question

Reward right answers with stretched questions by: asking for them to reach the same answer with a different working.

Identify moments in the lesson plan where students might get to correct answers easily. Script stretched questions to increase the rigour of those moments: e.g., how/why, cite evidence, evaluate the answer.

Improve quality of discussion - think pair share

Use the 'Write, Pair, Share' format to encourage students to discuss points before taking points from the whole class.

Go through a lesson that the teacher will teach in the next day / week. Re-plan activities for appropriate points in the lesson that use a 'Write, Pair, Share' format. This should be after new content has been introduced so that the students have something to write about.

Pace of discussion - think pair share

Add pace to Think, Pair, Share by keeping timings very tight (less than 1 min) for the think and the pair. Move on to share as soon as you hear a pause in their conversations.

Microscript a pair, share episodes, including exactly what the teacher will say at each stage. Role play this, making sure the teacher brings students back together as soon as he hears a dip in conversation.

Make sure they are all listening when you question

Ensure that students come back to the whole class SLANT or silent listening quickly and efficiently by making them practise moving from pair discussions to silent listening. Use your standard cue.

Microscript what the teacher will say and do to teach the pair discussion routine to their students, including what the teacher will do / say in response to non-compliance. Role play this routine, introducing non-compliance once the teacher has been successful.

Check for understanding following Think, Pair, Share

Following Think, Pair, Share make sure you add a subsequent activity that allows you to sample student thinking and check for understanding to avoid misconceptions being spread.

Script a 'pair share' discussion, planning a set of questions that the teacher will ask following the discussion to check for understanding and explore misconceptions. Plan which students the teacher will ask, selecting a top, middle, bottom sample.

Improve oracy when students provide responses to questioning

Demand that students always use the Name, Summary, Opinion format to comment on others' points i.e., 'Abdul commented that__ I agree / disagree with him because__'

Script a teacher introduction designed to teach students how to use this format, including what the teacher will say or do if students fail to meet their expectations. Role play the introduction of this to the classroom.

Improve articulation of paired discussions with writing time

Restructure 'think, pair, share' with 'think, pair, PREPARE, share'

Allow them 2 mins or so to bullet point a summary of their discussions in the 'prepare' time.

When they 'share', they are more articulate in their response.

Differentiate by allowing/not allowing them to read from their 'prepared' notes.

Script a 'pair share' discussion, planning a set of questions that the teacher will ask following the discussion to check for understanding and explore misconceptions. Plan which students the teacher will ask, selecting a top, middle, bottom sample.

Normalise errors and risk taking during whole class questioning

In class discussion, be very firm with unsupportive students or those who laugh at anothers' answer: 'Everyone gets it wrong sometimes, and we never ever fail to support them if they do.'

Role play

1) Quiet sanction and reinforce expectations to students,

2 )Script whole class response designed to encourage making errors and risk taking,

3) Discuss harsh sanctions for students who laugh at each other and role play using these.

Normalise errors and risk taking during whole class questioning

Expect and welcome errors: 'I'm really glad that you made that mistake because it helps us to see that__'

Script out some phrases the teacher can use to praise risk taking and welcomes learning from error. Role play using these as part of a questioning sequence.