LeadingDiscussions
LeadingDiscussions
Tips for engaging students in discussion
The Art of Asking Questions
Questions
Teachers spend 35-50%of their instructional timeasking students questions
Ask me a question, S. BlackAssociation of School Board Journal, Apr, 2001.
Questions
Questioning is 2nd onlyto lecturing as a common teaching method
Ask me a question, S. BlackAssociation of School Board Journal, Apr, 2001.
Questions
Much of the timeteachers devote toquestioning doesn’t help students learn
Ask me a question, S. BlackAssociation of School Board Journal, Apr, 2001.
Developing SkillsDisc
ussion and
Asking Questio
ns
FacilitatingGroup Discussion
FacilitatingGroup Discussion
Asking QuestionsAsking Questions
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1.Guide and direct2.Review concepts3.Introduce new areas
to investigate4.Generate hypotheses5.Planning experimental
procedures
Purpos
es
• Discussion purposes:
• Analyze and interpret• Assess and revise• Formulate and analyze
conclusions• Summarize
Purpos
es
• Discussion purposes:
1.Recall, process and apply levels of thinking can be developed, but….
2.Seventy percent of questions require only recall
3.Questions that demand higher level thinking bring similar level responses
Discus
sion a
nd In
quiry
• Discussion
qualities:
1.A mix of low and high level questions = greatest growth in student thinking
2.A central component to develop is inquiry skills
3.One special technique to develop inquiry skills is creating cognitive conflict
Discus
sion a
nd In
quiry
• Discussion
qualities:
Proceed to facilitating discussion
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Develo
ping C
ognit
ive Con
flict
Compare student explanationsFeign surprise at either a faulty or correct explanationPose an impossible event implied by a student’s positionEstablish an expectancy for an outcome that testing will not supportAsk for supporting evidence of a rote answerAccept all responses until two conflicting ones emerge
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Cognitive Conflict = moment of disagreementThis is a moment to be cherished to help studentsseek resolution and develop problem solving skill
Inquir
y Skill
s
ObservingInferringVerifyingHypothesizing
All based on experiences in the “field/classroom”
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1.Encouraging Participation
• Seek divergent views• Invite comments• Value diverse
“answers” 2.Supporting group
members• Value each person’s
ideas3.Handling error
• Ask another ? to let student correct self
Guidelin
es
• Facilitating Discussion Involves:
1.Listening attentively• Really hear what is
being said• use WAIT TIME
• saying nothing shows acceptance
• Verbal cues like “I see” show you are listening
• Rephrasing• Ask a question then
name someone
Guidelin
es
• Facilitating Discussion Involves:
1.Wait time = essential to discussion
• Question by teacher• Wait time 3 sec• Student’s response(s)• Wait time 3 sec• Teacher’s Response
Guidelin
es
• Facilitating Discussion Involves:
1.Plan your strategy• Develop questions
ahead of time2.State the problem
clearly and concisely3.Suggest a problem-
solving approach4.Accept and clarify
communication
Nondi
rect
ive
facilit
atin
g
• Facilitating Discussion Involves:
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1.Withhold judgment 2.Accept feelings along
with content3.Keep the discussion
focused4.Summarize and clarify
directions5.Use WAIT TIME to
involve the students
Nondi
rect
ive
facilit
atin
g
• Facilitating Discussion Involves:
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Basic Basic QuestionQuestion
ss
Types ofTypes ofQuestionQuestion
ss
Types ofTypes ofQuestionQuestion
ss
Basic Basic QuestionQuestion
ss
Phrasing Phrasing QuestionQuestion
ss
ProbingProbingQuestionQuestion
ss
PracticePracticeScenariosScenarios
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section.
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section.
Review each section before advancing.
Basic Basic QuestionQuestion
ss
Types ofTypes ofQuestionQuestion
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Types ofTypes ofQuestionQuestion
ss
Basic Basic QuestionQuestion
ss
Phrasing Phrasing QuestionQuestion
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ProbingProbingQuestionQuestion
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PracticePracticeScenariosScenarios
Review each section before advancing.
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Types of Questions
Develop questions priorto conductingdiscussion
Types of Questions
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Phrasing Questions
Probing questions
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Types of Questions Basic Questions Probing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsBasic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questions
Clarifying Questions = ask for more information to increase understandingExamples:•Can you be more specific?•What do you mean by ‘stuff’?•Can you say that another way? •Can you give us an example?•Draw that for me•What are you referring to when you say ….?•How do you know about that?
Types of Questions
Develop questions priorto conductingdiscussion
Types of Questions
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Phrasing Questions
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Types of Questions Basic Questions Probing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsBasic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questions
Extending Questions = ask for more elaboration, explanation, alternatives…Examples:•Can you think of other reasons?•Can you tell us some more about alcohol abuse?•Is there anything else you would like to add? •Do refusal skills for smoking have properties similar to any other health behaviors?•Why do you think drug use..?•What conclusions can you draw?
Types of Questions
Develop questions priorto conductingdiscussion
Types of Questions
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Types of Questions Basic Questions Probing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsBasic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questions
Focusing Questions = initiate or shift discussion’s directionExamples:•Let’s go back to our chart, how are these different?•First we want to analyze the information, can anyone see commonalities?•Now, what were we discussing a minute ago? •How does that relate to the topic?•What other factors should we consider for this??
Types of Questions
Develop questions priorto conductingdiscussion
Types of Questions
Basic Question
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Phrasing Questions
Probing questions
Scenarios
Types of Questions
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Phrasing Questions
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Types of Questions Basic Questions Probing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsBasic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questions
Lifting Questions = try to lift the level of discussion from narrow to broad, Examples:•Accepting the statements on the board are common to both, what can we say about the relationship of __ and __?•What hypotheses might explain how media influences teen buying?•What is the relationship of __ to __?•What conclusions can you draw now?
Types of Questions
Develop questions priorto conductingdiscussion
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Types of Questions Basic Questions Probing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing QuestionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions ScenariosProbing questionsPhrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsBasic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questionsTypes of Questions Basic Questions Phrasing Questions ScenariosProbing questions
Summarizing Questions = used when a lengthy statement buries the meaningExamples:•How can we put what you just said on the board?•Can you give us the main idea of what you are saying?
Basic Questions
Have a cleargoal in mindfor the discussion
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Phrasing Questions
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Basic Questions
Asking good questions takesplanning and practice. The following questions use an Inquiry approach to begin the discussion:
•What do you know about the problem?•What have you learned about the problem?•What do we need to investigate?
Basic Questions
Have a cleargoal in mindfor the discussion
Scenarios
Probing questions
Phrasing Questions
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Phrasing Questions
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Basic Questions
Asking good questions takesplanning and practice. The following questions use an Inquiry approach to begin the discussion:
•How will we find answers we need to solve the problem?•What are some possible causes?•What are some possible solutions?
Phrasing Questions
Createopen-endedquestions
Scenarios
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Clarity and specificity of the questions will influence the clarity, specificity of student answers.Effective questions take planningand practice and will:
•Contain words that are easily understood by students•Be stated simply, avoiding clutteringwith more questions or explanations•Have a clear outcome or goal in mind
Phrasing Questions
Createopen-endedquestions
Scenarios
Probing questions
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Clarity and specificity of the questions will influence the clarity, specificity of student answers.Effective Questions will:
•Be open ended•Focus students on the content•Promote thinking about the content•Demand that the teacher listen carefully in order to respond with questions that will extend learning
Probing Questions
Listen carefullyin order to respondwith a ? that continues discussion
Scenarios
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Probing questions= thosethat follow-up on studentresponses to clarify, extend,personalize and/or supporttheir thinking.
•Demand careful listening in order to ask probing questions that movethe class toward the goal of the discussion
Probing Questions
Listen carefullyin order to respondwith a ? that continues discussion
Scenarios
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Examples
•What do you mean by…?•Have you considered…?•How do you know that?•What is an example of..?•On what basis did you decide..?•Why do you think drug use…?
Probing Questions
Listen carefullyin order to respondwith a ? that continues discussion
Scenarios
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Examples:
•What conclusions can you draw now?•What seems important here?•What does this mean for our problem?•What other factors might cause…?•Where else could we find…?•You are concerned about ___, our focus is on ___ explain how these tworelate.
Scenarios
Try to developquestions thatwill keep discussiongoing toward the lesson goals
Scenarios
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•What goal might a teacher have inmind for asking a question in responseto this situation?•What questions might be asked to takea discussion further toward the goal?•How might a teacher use the responsesTo further exploration of the problem?
While a teacher is gatheringthe class’ knowledge aboutadolescent drug use, a studentsays, “Only a few kids are reallyhooked on drugs. Most just do drugs now and then.
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Try to developquestions thatwill keep discussiongoing toward the lesson goals
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•What goal might a teacher have inmind for asking a question in responseto this situation?•What questions might be asked to takea discussion further toward the goal?•How might a teacher use the responsesTo further exploration of the problem?
While a teacher is gatheringthe class’ knowledge aboutadolescent drug use, a studentsays, “Marijuana isn’t as bad for you as alcohol, and alcohol is legal.”
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•What goal might a teacher have inmind for asking a question in responseto this situation?•What questions might be asked to takea discussion further toward the goal?•How might a teacher use the responsesTo further exploration of the problem?
While a teacher is gatheringthe class’ knowledge aboutadolescent drug use, a studentsays, “You drink one drink everyhour and not get drunk. So, kidsjust need to slow down.”
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•What goal might a teacher have inmind for asking a question in responseto this situation?•What questions might be asked to takea discussion further toward the goal?•How might a teacher use the responsesTo further exploration of the problem?
While a teacher is gatheringthe class’ solutions to adolescent drug use, a student says, “Legalize drugs, then it won’t besuch a problem.”
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Try to developquestions thatwill keep discussiongoing toward the lesson goals
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•What goal might a teacher have inmind for asking a question in responseto this situation?•What questions might be asked to takea discussion further toward the goal?•How might a teacher use the responsesTo further exploration of the problem?
While a teacher is gatheringthe class’ solutions to adolescent drug use, a student says, “We need to teach kids how todrink responsibly.”
References
Ask me a question, S. BlackAssociation of School Board Journal, Apr, 2001.
Michigan Model for Comprehensive SchoolHealth Education (2003). Trainer’s ToolkitEMC, Mt. Pleasant, MI
FAST, Foundational Approaches in ScienceTeaching, 2nd Ed. Instructional Guide (1992).Donald B. Young, Francis M. Pottenger III.CRDG, Honolulu, HI.
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