Effective Questioning and Learning through talk

Wendy DelfSNS Teaching and Learning Consultant

Until recently…

• …most assessment has been to do with assessment of learning. (This is known as summative assessment)

• This tends to be carried out periodically e.g. end of unit, end of term

• It is used by teachers to prove how well pupils are doing

• Conclusions are generally reported in terms of levels, marks or grades

But in the last five years…

• …much more assessment has been assessment for learning. (This is known as formative assessment)

• This tends to be ongoing and is a feature of everyday lessons. Much of it is informal.

• It occurs whenever teachers use strategies to improve learning in their classroom

THE ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN THEIR OWN

LEARNINGSharing learning objectives and success criteria with learners

Using effective questioning strategies

Providing positive and specific oral and written feedback

Involving learners in peer- and self- assessment

Developing a formative approach to traditional testing

Promoting the belief that every student can succeed

Effective and planned talk in the classroom promotes independence

by:helping teachers help pupils to take the next steps in their learninghelping pupils help each other to take their next steps in their learninghelping pupils help themselves to take the next steps in their learning

Questioning

• More effort has to be spent in framing questions that are worth asking

• Increase wait time to several seconds • Ask questions that help pupils to reflect

on their thinking and learning process• Plan sequences of questioning to

develop pupils’ thinking

Pose…

Pounce…

Pause…

BOUNCE!

Effective questioning

Use of no Hands up rule

Increase wait time

Plan sequenced questions that focus on the learning objectives

Ask other pupils to comment on the answers provided by their peers

Consider the benefits of each of these techniques

Extending “wait time” beyond 3 seconds

Having a “No hands- up” strategy

Encouraging pupils to Think, pair, share

Asking questions that promote reasoning

Dialogic questioning

• What does questioning look like in your department? Does it most resemble table tennis or volleyball?

Hands up if you can remember the name of….

Table tennis questioning – the key features

Teacher to pupil interaction (ping-pong-ping…)

Sense of teacher seeking the right answer to predominantly closed questions e.g. factual recall

Reliance on hands up

Limited wait time

Responses are brief

Few opportunities for pupils to discuss in pairs or groups

Question and answer sessions dominated by a few enthusiasts

Few opportunities for pupils to formulate own questions

Pupils reluctant to offer contributions

Key features of volleyball questioning

Teacher – to pupil – to pupil – to pupil interaction

Teacher plans sequences of questions

Teacher more interested in finding out what learners think and why

Teacher avoids hands up – use of think pair share

Teacher increases wait time

Pupils encouraged to build on/challenge responses of their peers

Pupils prepared to take risks

Engaging talk in the classroom

Mystery objects

Odd one out

A

B

CD

Concept loops

Picture reveal

If a teacher asks you a question, both the child and the teacher feel obliged to try and stop that silence lasting very long. Teachers find it very hard to wait and wait and wait and children feel panicky if they don't answer quickly. But if a computer asks you, you can sit back because you don't care whether it's waiting.

Neil Mercer

A final word…

Assessment for learning is about actively involving students in the learning process, beyond anything traditional teaching has previously allowed.Prof. Paul Black