asking questions

Questioning1 The importance of questionsIn most classrooms it is generally a fact that the teacher talks and the students listen. And it is also a fact that during the class hours the teacher asks questions and gives feedback to students‟responses. It is estimated that an average of 100 to 150 questions per class hour are asked in the typical elementary and secondary classroom. And 80% of all school time is devoted to questions and answers. So, questions play a crucial role in teaching.Questions are used to provide the opportunities for students‟output and this “pushed output”helps students to reconstruct their inter-language. The use of questions is an important part of teaching.Teacher questioning is a critical skill for teachers. It has an important impact in learning because it is the most common form of interaction between the teacher and thestudents in the classroom. It is an element that can be found in any type of a lesson. Questioning is also a necessary part in teaching and an essential skill for conducting a variety of activities and tasks in the classroom.Although questions can be effective in investigations, enquiry and the development of understanding, it doesn‟t mean the more questions, the better. Questions should be wise and purposeful, contributing to the overall objectives of a lesson, stimulating the development of knowledge and thinking, and helping to maintain effective interaction.2 Purposes and functions in asking questionsQuestioning is a commonly used technique in teaching. But why is it so important in classroom instruction? What are the purposes of questioning？In the classroom a teacher may ask questions for various purposes. Generallyspeaking, questions are asked mainly for the following reasons:●To stimulate recall of information;●To check students‟knowledge and focusattention on a particular issue or concept;●To provide an opportunity for students toassimilate and reflect upon information;●To elicit information and activatestudents‟ prior knowledge;●To help learners externalize and verbalizeknowledge learning;●To develop learners‟thinking level andincrease their ability to conceptualize;●To check understanding;●To stimulate interest and awaken curiosityconcerning a topic;●To structure a task in such a way thatlearning will be maximized;●To challenge students and encourage aproblem-solving approach to thinking andlearning;●To afford an opportunity for students tolearn vicariously through discussion;●To help learners to learn from each other;●To diagnose specific difficulties inhibitingstudent learning;●To stimulate students to ask questions ofthemselves and others;●To develop reflection and comment bystudents on the responses of othermembers of the group, both students and teachers;●To assess learningSo proper questioning can extend students‟thinking from the concrete and factual to the analytical and evaluative; can lead students through a planned sequence which progressively establishes key understandings; can promote reasoning, problem solving, evaluation; and can promote students‟ thinking about the way of their own learning.3 Different types of questionsAs mentioned above, questioning plays an important role for the classroom teaching. An effective teacher must be an effective questioner. So it is necessary for a teacher to be able to distinguish the different characteristics that different questions may have, the various functions that different questions can fulfill, and the different levels of thinking the questions call for. In our practical teaching teachers usually use the following questions, such as factual question (determining whether or not learners know basic information), display question (not a real question but serves to elicit language practice), referential question (asking for information which teachers do not know the response beforehand), promoting question (giving hints to elicit appropriate response), and probing question (directing students to think more deeply). So we can see that different questions will invite different levels of thinking, just as Bloom proposed in his classification ofquestion types (Nuttall, 1982).According to different purposes of questioning (such as to check students‟memory of certain fact, their ability to apply the learned information, or the ability to analyze the material, etc), questions can be divided into six levels, i.e. knowledge level, comprehension level, application level, analysis level, synthesis level, and evaluation level.Knowledge questionsKnowledge questions require students to recall, describe, define, or recognize facts that have been learned previously. Since such kind of questions can help students recall facts, terms and basic concepts that have learned beforehand, they are frequently employed by teachers in classroom teaching.For example:When was the PRC established?When, where, and by whom was the first thanksgiving day celebrated?Can you retell the text we have learned last week?Can you list the rules for using the future tense?So, some words will be employed when asking this kind of questions, such as: define, recall, remember, recognize, list, identify, describe, retell, recite, who, when, where, what, etc.Comprehension questionsComprehension questions require students‟ understands of facts they have learned. Based on the understanding of the facts related to the questions, students need organize, summarize and arrange the related material to answer the questions. So this kind of questions can help students understand the facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, describing, and stating the main ideas.For example:What is the main idea of this paragraph?Can you paraphrase the sentence in your own words?Can you tell the difference between the two terms?Can does the word “light”mean in the sentence?There are some words and expressions that are often used, such as: compare, contrast, explain, summarize, rephrase, paraphrase, put in your own words, retell, rewrite, etc.Application questionsApplication questions require students to apply previously learned information to reach an answer or to solve a problem. So this kind of questions can help students applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in different context.For example:Please choose the best answer according to the rule we have learned.Can you draw a picture according to the description of the text?Can you classify the animals according to the knowledge we have learned?Can you give some suggestions on how to save and protect fresh water?Some useful words and expressions:Apply, classify, employ, use, choose, show, demonstrate, exemplify, illustrate, suggest, give some tips, advise, etc.Analysis questionsAnalysis questions require students to identify relationships, causes or motive for a specific occurrence, to consider, analyze and generalization available information to reach a conclusion, and to find evidence to support or refute the ideas. Simply speaking, this kind of questions usually asks students to identify reasons, uncover evidence and reach conclusions.For example:Can you distinguish the two concepts?Why didn‟t the hero in our story pass the examination?How does the mobile phone influence middle school students?Can you conclude the causes of pollution in this area?What evidence can you offer to prove that he was the liar?Some useful words and expressions:Why, analyze, deduce, support, justify, point out, distinguish, draw conclusion, conclude, prove, refute, etc.Synthesis questionsSynthesis questions require students to perform original and creative thinking. So students will combine elements in a different way, produce original communications, make predictions and propose alternative solutions.For example:How can we solve the noise pollution here?Can you write an appropriate end for the story?Can you suggest a good job position for him according to his qualification?How would your life be different if you go abroad?Some useful words and expressions:What would happen if …?How can we solve …?Imagine, synthesize, create, predict, design, hypothesize, etc.Evaluation questionsEvaluation questions require students to form judgments and to offer an opinion using stated subjective or objective criteria. That is to say, students will present and defend opinions by making an informed judgment about information or ideas based on a set of criteria.For example:Please give your opinion about the film.Please state your own opinion on “whether pupils should be given a lot of homework to do after class”.Who can tell what is wrong with his table manner?Please give reasons why he is the best one to be promoted?Some useful words and expressions:Decide, give your opinion, argue, evaluate, judge, verify, assess, etc.4 Practical cases of questioning4.1 Principles for asking questionsQuestioning is essential for classroom teaching and learning. Effective and efficient questions can promote the interaction between students and teacher, guide students towards achieving lesson objectives and trigger students‟active thinking. But how should teacher design and ask proper questions? There are some principles for teachers to follow.●Questions asked should be at theappropriate level, be of the appropriatetype.●Questions asked should be brief and tothe point.●Questions asked should be wordedproperly.●Questions asked should be personalizedand open-ended.●Questions asked should support students‟thinking skills.●Questions asked should activate students‟ability of enquiry or investigating skills.4.2 Procedures of questioningGood teachers ask good questions that check for understanding of the basic facts, skills or ideas in a lesson and then push students to think critically and creatively about what they have learned. But when should the teacher direct questions towards students? When should the teacher invite students to respond to the questions? What feedback should the teacher provide afterwards? So the following procedures can guide teachers carrying out effective questioning smoothly in language teaching.●Ask the questionTeachers should state the question clearly and concisely. If a question is complicated, it may be necessary to rephrase it. It is imperative that the question is stated first before naming the learner to respond.●PauseAfter asking a question, pausing is important so that everyone has time to think. Waiting time is essential when asking high-level question.●Call on the learner by nameLearners should be randomly selected to answer the questions so that they try to formulate the answer.●Listen to the answerA good technique that teachers can use to ensure that the learners are attentive is to ask another learner to respond to the answer given.●Emphasize the correct answerTeachers could ask probing questions (force learners to think more thoroughly about the initial response when learners‟responseslack depth) to have the respondents‟response clarified, to support a point, or to extend their thinking.4.3 Tips and ideas for asking questionsAs we know, questioning is a critical skill and the most powerful tool for teaching and learning. It can take place throughout a lesson and enables teachers to check students‟understanding; to challenge students to think about and apply their learning. Therefore successful interactive teaching depends partly on the effectiveness of the teacher‟s questioning and feedback. However, if done unsuccessfully, it may damage teaching and learning. So as a teacher, he or she should realize and try to avoid some common errors in questioning listed in the following:●Asking too many questions at once.●Asking irrelevant questions.●Asking ineffective questions, such as,factual questions, closed questions,displaying questions.●Do not give learners sufficient time toprocess questions and formulate answers.●Do not provide learners with equalresponse opportunities. Teachers restrictchances to a limited number of learnersand within a certain “domain”, usuallytowards the top students of the classroom.●Do not repeat/rephrase, prompt, redirectthe question at another student.●Do not supply the desired response.Feedback is ineffectively conducted.So far we know the common errors in questioning. So how to avoid these errors is the key to teachers. The following tips and ideas can guide teachers developing effective questioning skills.●Yes/no questions should be avoided.●Questions with definite answers should be encouraged.●Questions should not have a …trick‟or …catch‟.●Questions designed should be closelyrelated to the suggested class lesson plan.●Questions should be clear and well-staged in order to develop students‟ levels of thinking.●There should be a balance among different types of questions.●Students should be given enough wait time to think and respond to teacher‟s questions.●Students should be provided opportunities to ask their own questions and seek their own answers.●A secure and relaxed atmosphere of trust is needed and students‟ opinions and ideas are valued.5 Students’ practiceTask 1 Please read the following dialogue carefully and design some questions to help students grasp sentence structure “What do you think of …?”. (Junior Englsih for China Students Book 2)Jack:What do you think of soap operas, Mark?Mark:I don‟t like them.Jack: What do you think of game shows?Mark: I love them.Jack: What do you think of sitcoms?Mark:Sitcoms? Mmm. I don‟t mind them.Jack: What do you think of sports shows?Mark: I like them.Jack: What do you think of talk shows?Mark:Talk shows? I can‟t stand them. Task 2 The following is a reading activity. Think about how you will design some proper questions to introduce the topic of the material.Chuch‟s FriendIn the movie Cast Away, Tom Hanks plays a man named Chuck Noland. Chuck is a businessman who is always so busy that he has little time for his friends. He is a successful manager in a company that sends mail all over the world. One day Chuck is on a flight across the Pacific Ocean when suddenly his plane crashes. Chuck survives the crash ad lands ona deserted island.On the island, Chuck has to survive all alone. He has to learn how to collect water, hunt for food, and make fire. Perhaps the most difficult challenge is how to survive without friends. In order to survive, Chuck develops a friendship with an unusual friend--- a volleyball he calls Wilson.Chuck learns a lot about himself when he is alone on the island. He realizes that he hasn‟t been a very good friend because he has always been thinking about himself. During his five years on the island, Chuck learns how to be a good friend to Wilson. Even though Wilson is just volleyball, he becomes fond of him. He talks to him and treats him as a friend. Chuck learns that we need friends to share happiness and sorrow, and that it is important to have someone to care about. He also learns that he should have cared more about his friends. When he makes friends with Wilson, he understands that friendship is about feelingsand that we must give as much as we take.A volleyball is certainly an unusual friend. Most of our friends are human beings, but we also make friends with animals and even things. For example, many of us have pets, and we all have favorite objects such as a lucky pen or a diary. The lesson we can learn from Chuck and all the others who have unusual friends is that friends are teachers. Friendship helps us understand who we are, why we need each other and what we can do for each other. Task 3 Please read the following classroom interaction episodes and discuss what types of questions the teacher adopts. (肖惜：160) T: (Takes out a paper box.) Look at this. What‟s this?Ss: It‟s a box.T: Is there anything in the box? (Writes it on blackboard.)Ss: …T: (Shakes the box.) Yes. There is something in it. (Writes it on blackboard.)What‟s it? (Open the box and shows it to the class.)Ss: It‟s a rubber.T: Yes. There is something in the box. There is a rubber in the box. (Shows the box with the rubber in it again.) Is there anything in the box, S1?S1: Yes, there is something in it.T: (Shows an empty box.) Is there anything in the box?Ss: …T: I don‟t think there is anything in it. (Opens the box.)There isn‟t anything in it. ( Writes it on blackboard.)There is nothing in it. (Writes it on blackboard.)( Shows the empty box again.)Is there anything in the box, S2?S2: I don‟t think there is anything in it.T: S3?S3: There isn‟t anything in it.T: S4?S4: There is nothing in it.T: (Shows a soft bag with a book in it.) Is there anything in the box, S5?S5: Yes. There is something in it.T: (Shows an empty bag to class.) Is there anything in the box, S6?S6: No, there isn‟t anything in it.T: Please say it another way, S7.S7: No, there is nothing in it.T: Good. Now, look! (Draws a house on the blackboard) What‟s this?Ss: It‟s a house.T: Is there anybody in the house?Ss: I don‟t know.T: (Draws a figure through the window) Is there anybody in the house, S8?S8: Yes, there is somebody in it.T: Is he right, S9?S9: Yes, he is.T: Repeat it.S9: There is somebody in the house.T: (Draws a lock on the door.) Now, the door is locked. Is there anybody in the house?S10: No, I don‟t think there is anybody in it. T: No, I don‟t think there is anybody in it. That is to say, …S11: No, there isn‟t anybody in it.T: No, there isn‟t anybody in it. Both of you are right. But can you use this word (Writes “nobody” on the blackboard.)S12: No, there is nobody in it.T: Very good. Now, here are three questions. Listen to me carefully.Question 1: “something”和“somebody”用在什么句子中?Question 2: “anything ”和“anybody”用在什么句子中?Question 3: “nothing”和“nobody”用在什么句子中?。