Encouraging Students to Ask Questions
One of the best ways you can help your students understand an idea is by teaching them how to voice their questions as they acquire learning. This not only gives you a chance to address areas your students don’t yet understand, but it also promotes rich possibilities for classroom discussion.
Read on to learn how questions help students learn more fully from you and each other. Then, find quick tips that will assist you in both encouraging and teaching students to ask questions in class.
The Value of Asking Questions
The easiest way to first ask questions can propel students and inspire them to approach topics with curiosity. What happens when students get curious about a subject is that they’re no longer learning just for rank, and you, as an instructor, are more likely to impart a passion for learning.
Handling asking and answering questions in class allows students to pursue two-way communication with you. You (and they) are better able to understand their thinking, and they can use your support to solve problems themselves. In the world today, it also gives other students a chance to share their socio-cultural experiences about a question and learn from one another.
Teaching students to ask questions can help you pinpoint gaps in their understanding. It’s an easy way to determine and focus on the topics where a student may need more practice sessions. Other times even if only one child asks the question, other students may have the same question but feel too nervous to speak out.
This section identifies that students are more likely to interpret new material if they ask questions. In addition, one study found that when elementary students were being taught to call for questions during science lessons, they could talk about what they had learned on a more complex level. Teach students how to ask questions so they understand the material at a level well beyond just memorization.
Make your Classroom Surroundings a Safe Place for Questions
It is found that some children may feel anxious asking questions, particularly if they’re not acquainted with the subject you’re discussing in class. Educator Warren Berger recommends letting your students know that questions are always welcome in class and that they will not be judged for asking them.
Don’t be afraid to reframe the idea of questions so that students see them not as a sign of weakness but as a way to find out as much as they can about a topic. That way, they’re more likely to come to you when they don’t understand something instead of hiding it.
Showing Students You Respect Their Questions
Showing students you understand and respect their questions can boost their confidence as a learner. After a student asks a question in class, for example, you could say, “Interesting point, David!” or “I’m glad you asked.”
Try to praise students every bit for the act of asking a question. If a student feels that you’re shutting their questions down, they may believe they are not as important as others—and stop asking.
Encourage Students to Ask Questions in Classroom
Questions are?an integral part of?teaching, and encouraging questions in the classroom needs to go beyond the awful ‘hands up’ approach if you want your students to feel safe asking them! After all, one of the chief reasons kids don’t ask questions comes from a fear of seeming “uncool” or “not as smart” as their peers.
Facilitating kids to ask questions is a two-fold process. You will discover that, on the one hand, you want to encourage questions further as the lesson goes on. Hold on now … we’re not suggesting that you have students calling out and interrupting the flow of your teaching! The purpose is that no one will learn when you can’t get a complete sentence out!
Too often, building a space where questions are encouraged means making time for collaborative engagement is essential. Not only does this help your students, but it will help you, too, as you can see gaps in learning!
Second, encouraging students to ask questions is about giving them tools to ask for assistance when needed. This comes later — as they’re trying to implement the new concepts.
Encouraging Questions During a Lesson
Asking Questions Anonymously
Take the tension of asking questions in front of the entire class out of the equation by making an activity where students can ask questions anonymously. Here’s a little trick: Use sticky notes!
For instance, when reading a story to your class, give your students sticky notes and get them to write down a question about the book. The question can be related to the book, such as a word's definition or anything they may wonder.
You can collect and read the questions aloud, answering as you sort through them.
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Set Up a Question Parking Lot in Classroom
There are no absolutes in teaching, and teachers can also have a “parking lot” for questions in their classroom that uses the sticky note model. It can be a designated bulletin board, chart paper, etc.
They have an opportunity during a read-aloud, activity, lesson, etc., when a student has a question, they write it on a sticky note and pop it into the parking lot. This ensures students don’t forget their questions while waiting for a proper time to ask the teacher, but it also cuts down on the random questions that get asked at inappropriate times.
Question Time / Box For Classroom
Another severe note is when a student raises their hand and asks a random question that doesn’t even relate to your topic.
Don’t dismiss these questions; allow yourself and your students to write down the question for another time.
Have you ever thought of recycling an empty shoebox and making a question box for your classroom where students can leave questions? Then every Friday (or whatever day works for you), make a point to sit down and go through the questions with your class.
Speedy Question Time
The simplest way to motivate students to ask questions is by making it something everyone has to do. Could you replicate a quick write in the form of a question-writing session?
?Some teachers may display a visual related to the lesson and encourage their students to write down as many questions as possible about the picture in a short 5-minute time frame. Give them sentence starters such as “I wonder…” if they struggle.
Curiosity with a Wonder Wall
Teachers should encourage curiosity with a wonder wall in their classroom. A wonder wall classroom display allows students to record what they ‘wonder about’.
This means that when a seemingly random question pops up in their mind when they are occupied in learning about a topic and wonder about something that sits a little outside the lesson plan, they can write out their wonder and add it to the wall.
Show and Tell
Conversely, traditional show and tell in front of the whole class can be daunting for some children. You’ll have some success when you find that the same children will be the students who ask the speaker questions. There are several benefits to setting up a one-on-one show-and-tell session each week.
The Answer is… Activity
This is a super simple way to encourage students to come up with questions. As a morning activity, write an answer on the whiteboard and ask students to write a possible question.
Tips to Celebrate and Praise
Discover tips to celebrate and praise when students ask good questions. If a student doesn’t usually feel easy asking a question but does, praise them! Think about each question thoughtfully and make sure to refer back to it if need be.
Ways to celebrate:
Traffic Light System by Ardent Teacher
We love this traffic light system by The Ardent Teacher — it’s a simple visual to show how students are faring with their work.
For example, you can use coloured stacking cups that allow kids to flag that they’re all set (green cup), working through some confusion (yellow), or being perplexed and in need of help (red).