This document outlines an agenda for a professional development session on incorporating rigor through effective questioning strategies. It includes activities where teachers discuss and share how they write test questions, ask questions in class, and use question information. Models of questioning like Bloom's Taxonomy and Ciardello's question types are presented. Teachers work in groups to match question types to taxonomy levels and provide examples. Accommodations for English learners and exceptional children are discussed. The session aims to dispel myths about rigor and provide strategies for increasing complexity, such as problem-based learning.

2. Activating Strategy
Take 5 minutes to think about the following and answer
on sticky notes:
1. How do you write questions for tests?
2. How do you ask questions in class?
3. What do you do with the information you gather
from these questions?
Put your sticky notes on the appropriate poster. We will
come back to these later in the PD.

3. 3 Volunteers to share:
How do you write questions for
assessments?
3 Volunteers to share:
How do you ask questions in class?
3 Volunteers to share:
What do you do with the information you gather from
these questions?

5. 3 Models for Questioning
New Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Ciardello’s Four Types
of Questions
Quality of
QUESTIONS
3 Models for
Questioning:

6. :
New Bloom’s Taxonomy Activity:
You will work in a small group to create a poster (word splash,
graffiti, etc.) to describe the verbs your group is assigned. You
have 10 minutes.
0 Group 1: recognize, interpret, execute, organize,
critique, construct
0 Group 2: recall, classify, employ, disseminate, assess,
product
0 Group 3: define, summarize, implement, investigate,
review, conceptualize
0 Group 4: distinguish, infer, perform, differentiate,
judge, generate

7. We will share each of these
shar posters and leave them up through
today’s PD to refer back to them.
Group 1 (also known as Factual)-2 min to share
Group 2 (also known as Conceptual)-2 min to share
Group 3 (also known as Procedural)-2 min to share
Group 4 (also known as Metacognitive)-2 min to share

8. We have all heard of Bloom’s Taxonomy and most likely
used it in our classrooms. Today we will spend some
time with the Revised Version.
In 2001, researchers revised the 1956 version of
Bloom’s Taxonomy. Now RBT (Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy) has rows for Knowledge Dimension and a
column for Cognitive Process Dimension. By crossing
the knowledge row the process column, you can plan
objectives, activities, and assessments that allow
students to learn different types of knowledge using a
variety of processes (Blackburn 2013 p. 16).

9. http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching-resources/
effective-practice/revised-blooms-taxonomy/
You will work with a partner to look at an interactive
model of the knowledge dimension and cognitive
process dimension.
Mouse-over the colored blocks to see examples of
learning objectives.

10. RBT TABLE

11. RBT QUESTIONS

12. Ciardello’s Four Types of Questions
Question Type Question Stem Cognitive Operations
Memory Who, what, when,
where?
Naming, defining,
identifying
Convergent Thinking Why, how, in what
ways?
Explaining, comparing,
contrasting
Divergent Thinking Imagine, suppose,
predict, if/then, how
might?
Predicting,
hypothesizing,
inferring
Evaluative Thinking Defend, justify, judge Valuing, judging,
justifying choices
Blackburn, 2013, P. 18

13. Activity:
0At your table, align Ciardello’s four types
of questions with sections from the
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy. You will
have 5 minutes to compare and match
the two.
0What do you notice? Be thinking of
ways you can incorporate them into
your class.

14. Quality of QUESTIONS
(Blackburn, 2013, P. 13).
Characteristics of Good Questioning
Q—quality
Don’t waste your time on questions that are unclear, confusing, or irrelevant.
U—understanding
Make sure your questions lead to an understanding of content.
E—encourage multiple responses
Questions with more than one answer lead to higher levels of thinking.
S—spark new questions
If your question encourages students to ask more questions, you’ve struck gold!
T—thought-provoking
Prompting students to think is the truest aim of good questions.
I—individualized
Customize questions to your content and to your students.
O—ownership shifted to students
Give students the opportunity to create their own questions.
N—narrow and broad
Some questions are focused, some more open-ended. Use a balance.
S—success building
Remember the goal of all questioning: successful student learning.

15. Quality of
QUESTIONS
Activity:
Join your content team for this activity.
Together you will provide a content-specific example of
each of the characteristics of good questioning.
You will have 10 minutes to come up with your
examples.

16. Math will have 3 minutes to share.
Language Arts will have 3 minutes to share.
Social Studies will have 3 minutes to share.
Science will have 3 minutes to share.
Electives will have 3 minutes to share.

17. Use the question stems provided by the
question matrix to promote higher-level,
open-ended questions:
Question Matrix
0 What Is When Is Where Is Which Is Who Is Why Is How Is
0 What Did When Did Where Did Which Did Who Did Why Did How Did
0 What Can When Can Where Can Which Can Who Can Why Can How Can
0 What Would When Would Where Would Which Would Who Would Why Would How Would
0 What Will When Will Where Will Which Will Who Will Why Will How Will
0 What Might When Might Where Might Which Might Who Might Why Might How Might
Wiederhold, Chuck. Cooperative Learning and Higher Level Thinking: The Q-Matrix (San Clemente, CA: Kagan
Publishing, 1995).

18. Accommodations for Diverse
Groups
How can we use these 3 models of questioning for two
diverse populations:
EC Students ESL Students

19. Involving English language learners in the discussions
in their content area classes can be frustrating if
teachers do not develop strategies for asking questions.
0 Choose easy questions for your ELLs and structure the
form of the question to their current language ability.
Accept single word/phrases as correct answers. Do
not insist that students speak in full sentences.
0 Let ESL students know which questions they will be
responsible for answering in advance. Allow for think
time and preparation of answers.

20. Effective questioning factors
for EC and ESL students
Embed Evidence-Based Practices within effective instruction, which include:
Pace appropriately
Preview instruction
Review previous instruction
Monitor student performance
Circulate and scan instructional environment o Recognize appropriate behavior
Exhibit enthusiasm
Display awareness of what is happening
Use wait time after questioning
Retrieved from: http://www.cec.sped.org/Publications/CEC-Journals/TEACHING-Exceptional-Children

21. Hierarchy of Questions
(with examples)
 Ask newcomers to point to a picture or word to demonstrate basic knowledge.
"Point to the penguin."
 Using visual cues, ask simple yes/no questions.
"Is a penguin a fish?"
 Ask either/or questions in which the answer is embedded.
"Is a penguin a mammal or a bird?”
 Break complex questions into several steps.
"Look at the mammals. Find the bear, the dog and the cat. Why are
these animals all mammals? How are they the same?"
 Ask simple "how" and "where" questions that can be answered with a phrase or a
short sentence.
"Where do penguins live?" How do bats hear?
 Do not expect your ELLs to answer broad open-ended questions.
"How do fish breathe underwater?”
Haynes, J. 2014. How to develop questioning strategies. Retrieved from:
www.everythingesl.net/inservices/questioning_strategies.php

22. 15 minute Activity
Select a partner and discuss which questioning
factor you think is most important when
incorporating rigor into your EC or ESL classrooms
using each of the 3 questioning strategies.
Spend about 5 minutes on each questioning strategy.
Apply each strategy to EC and ESL students.

23. Which factors will you
incorporate into your EC and ESL
classes?
Let’s share
Each group will share one questioning strategy they
have accommodated to fit the needs of an EC student
and the needs of an ESL student.

25. Activating Strategy:
Lots of
homework is
rigorous.
Rigor is just one
more thing to do.
Rigor means
doing more.
Rigor is not
for everyone.
Providing
support
means
lessening
rigor.
Standards
alone take
care of rigor.
Resources
equal rigor.
Take 5 minutes
to talk at your
table about these
statements and
whether you find
them to be true
statements or
false statements.

26. Activity:
Lots of
homework is
rigorous.
Rigor is just one
more thing to do.
Rigor means
doing more.
Rigor is not
for everyone.
Providing
support
means
lessening
rigor.
Standards
alone take
care of rigor.
Resources
equal rigor.
Now we know
these are myths
about rigor. Take
10 minutes to
change these
statements to
become true.

27. “Increasing complexity means moving beyond activities
that require students to recall information to asking
students to apply that knowledge in multifaceted ways.”
(Blackburn, 2013, P. 53).

28. Increasing Complexity
There are five specific ways to increase complexity in your instruction:
Complexity through Problem-Based Learning
Complexity in Writing
Complexity as you Assess Prior Knowledge
Complexity with Vocabulary
Complexity in Review Games
(Blackburn, 2013, P. 53)

29. Problem-Based versus Project-Based
In project-based learning, the teacher directs
the questions and assigns the final product.
In problem-based learning, the students are
more self-directed and come up with many of
their own questions (Blackburn, 2013, P. 54).

30. Problem-Based Learning
In 1995, Barrel took the KWL chart and adapted it to a model
for posing problems. The result was a KWHLAQ Model:
K-What do we think we already KNOW?
W-What do we WANT to find out in order to solve the
problem?
H-HOW and where will we find the answer?
L-What do we think we will LEARN? What did we LEARN?
A-How will we APPLY what we learned?
Q-What are our QUESTIONS now that we have finished
our inquiry?
Blackburn, 2013, P. 54

31. Activity:
With your grade-level content members, come up with
an activity for a problem-based learning scenario for
the current unit you are working on. You will have 20
minutes. Plan to use this activity in your classroom
before our follow-up session.
Example: In social studies, students create a separate
administration or government that pertains to their
grade level only.

32. Complexity in Writing
Using a RAFT
is an
effective way
to add rigor
to student
writing.
R-role A-audience F-format T-topic

33. Example of a RAFT
ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC
Knight People of the
future
Letter Black Death
Peasant Television
audience
Travel Brochure Social Classes
Rat 6th grade
students
Talk Show Weaponry
King Anyone above
the Role in social
class
Application Castle Design

34. Quick Write:
You are going to do a quick write using the example
RAFT. Pick a Role, and Audience, a Format, and a Topic.
You will have 7 minutes.
ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC
Knight People of
the future
Letter Black
Death
Peasant Television
audience
Travel
Brochure
Social
Classes
Rat 6th grade
students
Talk Show Weaponry
King Anyone
above the
Role in
social class
Application Castle
Design
EXAMPLE:
Knight, Anyone above Knight, Letter, Castle Design.
Dear King,
I am Knight Jones and I am concerned for your
safety. I recently was on a mission to attack a castle
on the manor across the river. This castle had a
draw bridge and a moat. It made attacking very
difficult. I think it would be wise if you look into
building a moat and having a draw bridge added to
your castle. This will keep you safe.
Another item you can add to the castle to keep you
safe is arrow loops. This would allow people fighting
the attackers to shoot arrows through the walls.
I appreciate your Lordship taking these
suggestions under consideration. I think it will help
you and your family remain unharmed in the next
battle.
Sincerely,
Knight Jones

35. Complexity as you Assess Prior Knowledge
An effective way to
assess prior knowledge
is having students
complete an
anticipation guide, then
taking it one step
further.
Have the students
answer several
true/false questions
about the upcoming
topic.
Finally, students must
re-write the false
statements to make
them true.
Have students then
work together to check
their answers (may use
sources).

36. Complexity as you Assess Prior Knowledge
Another way to effectively assess prior knowledge is by
having students create an alphabet of terms for a particular
topic. This allows the teacher to gain understanding how
deep a students’ knowledge goes on a topic.
To gain understanding of a how much knowledge a class
has, start a topic paper and send it around and have
students add ideas to it. Also have them check each other’s
comments for misinformation.

37. Activating prior knowledge is
important for EC and ESL students
Including a strategy to activate prior knowledge
benefits ELL students and EC students because:
 students have the opportunity to dialogue
 they express their ideas
 promotes collaborate with each other
 students connect what they already know to the new
concepts
 facilitates learning and comprehension

38. Data to support the importance of
activating prior knowledge
Klinger and Vaughn incorporated activating prior knowledge
strategies in their classrooms.
The results were:
All EC students improved their performance on
comprehension measures.
 Improvement continued to be displayed after 30 days in
both 6th and 4th grades.
Students with LD significantly improved their ability to
compose summaries compared to control students.
http://schsinstructionalcoach.weebly.com/reciprocal-teaching-and-ec-students.html

39. Complexity with Vocabulary
Vocabulary is a struggle in all content
areas. Memorizing definitions does
not show that a student comprehends
the meanings of words. We must find
ways to use vocabulary that
demonstrate students’ understanding
of the word, not if they can match it
with a definition.
Graphic Organizers are a great
way to do this. Frayer models
are one example. You don’t
have to use the same method
all of the time, you can even
teach several and let the
students choose their favorite.
Who Am I? Riddles (Blackburn,
2013 p. 63) are another
effective way to demonstrate
depth in vocabulary
knowledge. Example: I am in
the land between two rivers.
Hammurabi was King here,
annual flooding causes me to
have rich soil. Where Am I?
Mesopotamia

40. Complexity in Review Games
Jeopardy is a popular way to review before an
assessment. Two ways to make Jeopardy more rigorous
for your students:
Have them create the questions and categories.
Have each person answer on a white board and each
person gets points for correct answers even though
only one group or one person answers aloud.

41. Vocabulary with EC and ESL
learners
ESL Vocabulary Activities for All Levels
Teachers can use variations of these core activities to develop
vocabulary at all levels across content areas.
1. Flashcards and games/contests as icebreakers or wrap ups
2. Pre-teaching Vocabulary for Reading or Listening Assignments
3. Personal Vocabulary Lists
4. Quizzes/Self-Study Worksheets/ Cloze Activities
5. Contact Assignments
Retrieved from: http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-for-Teaching-ESL-Vocabulary

42. Frayer Model for increasing
rigor in ESL and EC classes

43. How can games increase
complexity and rigor for EC and
ESL learners?
Improve student proficiency by using :
Visual aids
Incorporating drama
Role playing
Promoting vocabulary use
Promotes participation/ communication
Lowers students’ stress
Captures students’ attention
Note: be sure to follow student accommodations and IEP’s. For
example, increase wait time for responses.

44. A Fun, Rigorous Game
Resource !
http://www.edteck.com/rigor/lessons/detective/

45. Remember!
Rigor is a word used often in teaching, but many don't
quite understand what rigor means. Rigorous learning
is not a measure of the quantity of material covered or
the number of times it is covered. Rigor is an element of
the learning environment that promotes an in-depth,
active, and engaged learning process for students.
Teachers should attempt to incorporate rigor into as
many of their teachings as possible. Rigor creates
excitement and enthusiasm for learning that students
can get in few other places.

46. Summarizing Strategy:
Exit Ticket
Please take a few minutes to write 3 new ways you will
incorporate rigor into your classroom based on the
information you learned from today’s PD.
Thank you!

47. HOMEWORK
0 TASK ONE:
Take the RBT (Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy) table and the RBT questions and come up
with an assessment for your next unit. It can be a mini assessment after a concept or a
unit assessment. Bring your assessment to the follow-up session.
0 TASK TWO:
Take the RAFT model and create a writing activity for
a concept you are going to teach. Include at least 4 of
each category. Bring two student examples to our follow-up session.
0 TASK THREE (EC and ESL Teachers):
Using the template provided in the link, create a graphic organizer to
introduce an important vocabulary word in your classes. Be prepared to discuss the
benefits of using the graphic organizer in our follow-up session.
http://www.worksheetworks.com/miscellanea/graphic-organizers/ frayer.html

49. Activating Strategy:
 Role-play in groups of two.
 One person should play the role of reporter while the other plays the role of
interviewee.
 Reporters ask interviewees to state a specific event in their lives but to give no details.
 Next, reporters should use the wh- question stems to find out more information about
the event.
 Switch roles and repeat the activity.
Note: this is a great game for your students, too

50. Remember…
In order to get information, ESL students will have to
learn basic investigative questions --- who, what, where,
when, why and how. While native speakers need little
help with this concept because they tend to "pick it up"
during childhood language acquisition, ESL students
require specific activities designed to teach these words
and their uses. These techniques are also useful for EC
students.

51. Rigor Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxMh4vGRTwU#t=30
After watching the video, turn to a
partner and discuss student
motivation in your class since
incorporating rigor. You have 3
minutes.

52. Refer to this activity
from our original PD:
With your grade-level content members, come up with an
activity for a problem-based learning scenario for the
current unit you are working on.
NOW:
Take 15 minutes to explain your activity to a non-content
partner. You and your partner need to then
reflect on the challenges and successes you faced with
this activity.

53. Homework follow-up
0 Fill in the RBT Table from your guided notes with the
number of questions from your assessment that fit
into each category.
0 Take 10 minutes with a partner to discuss the
completed table. Make sure to include why each
question fits into each category. Ask your partner if
they agree or disagree.

54. Homework follow-up
0 Pass in your student RAFT work examples.
0 Get into small groups of no more than 4.
0We will pass out random RAFTs. Your group will
identify the Role, Audience, Format, and Topic from
the student sample.

55. Homework follow-up
0 EC and ESL teachers pair up with one general
education teacher.
0 The gen ed teacher will fill out a Frayer Model for the
word “RIGOR”.
0 All teachers will next discuss how the use of graphic
organizers benefit vocabulary comprehension. ESL
and EC teachers can share the benefits they
experienced in their classes from using the Frayer
Model. You will have 10 minutes.

56. Q & A Session

57. Summarizing Strategy:
3-2-1
3 ways you will incorporate rigor in your classroom
2 favorite questioning strategies
1 strategy you think students will engage in the most.

58. References
Blackburn, B. (2013). RIGOR is not a four-letter word. Routledge; NY, NY.
Haynes, J. 2014. How to develop questioning strategies. Retrieved from:
www.everythingesl.net/inservices/questioning_strategies.php.
Wiederhold, Chuck. Cooperative Learning and Higher Level Thinking: The Q-Matrix
(San Clemente, CA: Kagan Publishing, 1995).
Retrieved from: http://www.cec.sped.org/Publications/CEC-Journals/
TEACHING- Exceptional-Children
Retrieved from: http://www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching-resources/effective-practice/
revised-blooms-taxonomy/.
Retrieved from: http://hubpages.com/hub/Strategies-for-Teaching-ESL-Vocabulary.