1. Effective Questioning and Reacting Techniques (Rowena M. Tivoli) “Children go to school as question marks and leave school as periods.” Neil Postman

3. What are some questioning skills that teachers should develop to generate interaction?

4. How can a teacher improve his/her questioning skills?

6. The kind of questions we ask determine the level of thinking we develop. Low level questions demand low level responses. They require responses of the simple recall or memory type of answers. Examples: What was the temperature range yesterday? What insect transmits dengue fever? What part of a plant serves as its factory?

7. High level questions call for higher-coder thinking ability. “Why” and “how” questions require analysis of observations. The conclusions is arrived at after weighing evidence or establishing a pattern out of a recorded tabulation of data. Examples: Why does temperature continue to rise from early morning till about noontime? How does the hydrologic cycle occur? A question is taken as a request for information. It is simply an inquiry about something.

8. In teaching, it takes the form of a problem at the start of a n investigation or query about a current issue such as time or classroom management. It is a statement that demands an explanation, a purpose or an argument. A daily lesson seldom without even a single question. It is the question, stated in any form that unlocks thinking. Hence, it is integral in the teaching practice.

9. Types of Question according to Purpose The kind of question we ask varies according to purpose. Here are some:

10. For Assessing Cognition This type of question is used to determined one’s knowledge in understanding. They promote high level thinking. Divergent questions and open-ended inquiries call for analysis and evaluation. Example: what is likely to happen if the ozone layer of the atmosphere continues to deteriorate sound heard louder when under water than out of it.

11. For Verification It determines the exactness or accuracy of the result of an activity or performance. Example: was the weight of liquid displace exactly the same as the weight of the object immersed in it? Why is lightning seen before the thunder is heard?

12. For Creative Thinking It probes into one’s originality. Example: how will you present the layers of the earth to your class? Simulate the eruption of Mt. Mayon. The question may ask for pupils own ideas or new ways of doing things. Example: how can you demonstrate soil-less gardening?

13. For Evaluating It elicit responses that include judgment, value and choice. It also asks personal opinion about an event, a policy or a person. Example: was your teachers slide presentation well done?

14. For Productive Thinking It includes cognitive reasoning. It analyses facts, recognizes patterns or trends and invokes memory and recall. Example: why was our fourth secretary of the department of agriculture successful with the small landowners? How can we apply the law of conservation of energy?

15. For Motivating Before discussing the lessons, a number of questions about the topic can serve to arouse their interest and focus attention. In attempts to put students in the right mood. Example: would you like to know how your favorite flower can remain fresh longer? Did you ever train a pet?

16. For Instructing The questions asks for useful information. It directs, guides and advise on what and how to do an activity. Example: what are the steps in performing an experiment?

17. Types of Question according to level / Answer As to level, question can either below or higher level.

18. Low level Questions They include memory questions or those that require simple recall. Example: Define energy. State the first Law of Motion.

19. High Level Questions These questions call for a respondent’s ability to analyze, evaluate and solve problems. Examples: What is the relation between the distance of a planet and its period of revolution? Why does temperature rise towards noontime?

20. Divergent Questions They require the respondent to think in” different directions”, to think of alternative actions or to arrive at own decision. There are several possible answers. Example: Why are you voting for him? What will happen if you leave it under direct sunlight for a week?

21. Questioning Skills Class interaction is dependent on your questioning skills. What skills should you acquire to generate interaction among your student?

23. Rephrasing - if you sense a question was not understood, simplify it or ask it in another way.

26. Providing sufficient wait time can achieve the following: *Motivates slow thinking students to respond *Improves the quality of the responses made *Decreases the amount of guessing or wrong inferences *Increases the number of correct responses’

27. *Leads the teacher to vary her questions *Provides the time for the teachers to evaluate the answers given. *Encourages the students to ask their own questions. Give students enough time to think about the answers.

31. Request a colleague to critique your own style as to: a.) kind of questions often asked, b.) the type of responses required. Knowing your errors in questioning would make it easy to effect the necessary changes. Too many “what” questions will be avoided.

34. The teacher’s reaction to their inquisitiveness can motivate or discourage them from asking more question. Some may give honest answer, others may instantly stop them from attempting to ask more. How can we encourage children to ask question? Here are some tips: The teacher’s questioning technique is the key in encouraging students to ask correct, relevant and high level question. Her question can serve as a good examples. Attend to their question. Avoid dismissing irrelevant questions. Assist in clarifying or refocusing in order to solicit correct responses.

35. Praise the correctly formulated questions. It develops confidence and makes knowledge search easy and satisfying. Allot an appropriate time slot for open questioning. This will encourage the slow thinker to participate freely.