This document provides training for tutors on using the Socratic Method and checking for understanding when tutoring. It defines the Socratic Method as using open-ended questions to guide students to their own conclusions. Tutors are instructed to start with a good question, ask follow-up questions, and summarize at the end. Checking for understanding involves asking questions to ensure basic understanding and feedback on session effectiveness. Examples of each technique are provided. The document explains how to ask probing questions and benefits of these methods for critical thinking, engagement, and feedback. Tutors are advised to challenge but also support students. An activity has tutors practice using the techniques.

1. Socratic Method and Checking for
Understanding
PeerTutorTraining
Student Academic Resource Center
University of Central Florida
Made by Catherine Siew and Chelsea
Shoben

2. ICE BREAKER: WouldYou Rather…?
DIRECTIONS EXAMPLE
• Each tutor is going
to be asked the
same question and
must pick a side of
the room based on
their answer.
• Would you rather
skate with inline
skates or roller
skates? All for in line
go to the left and all
for roller skates go
to the right.

3. Objectives
• Tutors will be able to….
▫ Define and utilize the Socratic Method to assist tutees
in their sessions.
▫ Explain what it means to Check for Understanding and
the various ways to do so.
▫ Practice using the Socratic Method and Checking for
Understanding with the use of probing questions.
▫ Identify how these two methods benefit both tutor
and tutee.

4. Socratic Method: What is it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPLu3qCbSU
Steps to utilizing the Socratic Method
1. Start with good open-ended question
2. Ask follow-up and probing questions
3. Summarize everything together at the end
Overall Idea:
 Tutees come to conclusions on their own.
 Tutees independently make connections within the material.
 Tutor promotes this through specific and premeditated
questioning.

5. Socratic Method: Example
Sample Dialogue
▫ John (Tutee): How do I make a grilled cheese sandwich?
▫ Tutor: Does this sandwich remind you of any other
sandwiches you’ve made?
▫ ……
▫ Tutor: Great!What do you notice is similar between these two
sandwiches?
▫ ……
▫ Tutor: Okay, so what did we learn from making the BLT and how
can we apply it to making the grilled cheese sandwich?
▫ Etc….

6. Checking for Understanding: What is it?
• Questions that ensure:
▫ a basic understanding of key information
▫ students’ understanding of a lesson’s concept or skill
• Tutor Benefit:
▫ Provides feedback on the progress of the session
▫ Technique effectiveness
▫ ImmediateAssessment

7. Checking for Understanding: What is it?
• Steps to Utilizing Checking for Understanding
▫ 1. Ask open ended questions
 Find the holes in the students knowledge
▫ 2. Utilize probing questions to try and get the tutees to
come to a conclusion on their own. (What does this
sound like? SM)
 Also refer to the book, notes, ppts, etc.
▫ 3. Inquire
 After reviewing the concepts/material, test the students with
more open-ended questions
▫ 4. Follow-Up/Summarize
 Quiz the students and re-summarize the concept again
towards the end of the session.

8. Checking for Understanding: Example
• Tutee: Even after your explanation, I’m not sure if I
know how to make a sandwich…
• Tutor: Well let’s review the steps in order.What comes
first?
…
• Tutor: Can one of you come up and summarize the
process?
How would we approach the situation if we didn’t have
any bread? Can you do this without bread? (Bloom’s
Taxonomy analysis question)

9. Quickwrite
Please pick one question below and write down your
response:
1. How might Socratic Method and Checking for
Understanding be related?
2. How would you define probing questions?
3. Why do you think we say the questions need to be specific
and/or premeditated?

10. How to Ask Probing Questions
• Begin with open-ended questions
▫ How,Why, Where,When,Who orWhat
▫ Examples
 How did you come to that answer?
 Why do you think this happened?
 What did you learn from reading this chapter?
• Think before you ask
▫ Ensure the question is relative and will ‘push’ the student
to make connections on their own.
▫ Make the questions challenging but also easy.
 We want to increase confidence (easy questions) but also
challenge them.

11. How to Ask Probing Questions cont.
• Follow-Up/Encourage
▫ Keep the probing going!
▫ Reassure the tutee to expand on the topic by
continuing to ask ‘Why?’ or ‘How?’.
• Re-test
▫ Ask open-ended questions on the topic again at the
end of the session to check if the students really
understood the first time around.

12. Socratic Method & Checking for
Understanding:TheWhy
• CriticalThinking
• Discussion within the Session
▫ Long term memory
▫ Group versus individual dynamic
▫ Engaging of more tutees
• Skills for independent learning
▫ Reinforces how a student should approach learning
 Taking responsibility for their learning.
• Feedback
▫ Tutor can evaluate if the methods they are using for
learning in their session are effective.

13. Socratic Method & Checking for
Understanding:Tutor’s Role
• Keep discussion focused.
• Re-summarize what questions have and have not
been resolved.
• Engage as many tutees as possible.
• Be curious
▫ Question, don’t assume, the tutee’s thought process
▫ Challenge the students for their benefit but also for
feedback.

14. Activity
• Work in pairs of 2-3 within your tutoring subject and
one person focuses on Socratic Method and the
other person tries to employ 1 of the Checking for
Understanding techniques (see document)(I think
this would be a good handout)
• Have them draw one Checking for Understanding
technique out of a hat
• Go over any that weren’t chosen

15. Checking for Understanding
Techniques/Share How ItWent
• EverybodyWrites -
• Evaluating other’s responses: Is it right?Wrong?
Why or why not?
• Class Sweep
• Practice Question – work together (GREAT for
mentoring sessions)
• Think – Pair – Share
• Choral Response –Yes/No so it’s not long