Transcript using questions
QUESTIONING AS A STRATEGY IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM
Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers
.
Voltaire
• • To prepare for the future, we must move from the teaching of facts to the teaching of thinking.
Unless we make that transition, we will produce a generation of students ill-prepared to cope with their world.
THE TRADITIONAL CLASS
DON’T DO ANYTHING FOR YOUR STUDENTS THEY CAN DO FOR THEMSELVES!
RESEARCH SAYS. . . .
• • 75-80% of questions posed in both elementary and secondary classrooms are at the recall or memory level.
In your opinion, what are the 3-4 most important factors contributing to this situation?
RESEARCH SAYS. . . .
• • Most teachers call on students perceived as high achievers more frequently than they call on low achievers.
What do you believe to be 2-3 overriding reasons for this teacher behavior?
RESEARCH SAYS. . . .
• • When teachers ask questions, they typically wait one second or less for students to begin their responses.
Why do you think teachers allow students so little time to begin their responses?
RESEARCH SAYS. . . .
• • Teachers frequently give a student the answer to a question that the student does not answer correctly or immediately.
Suggest 2-3 reasons why many teachers provide the answer rather than attempting to elicit a correct response from the student.
RESEARCH SAYS. . . .
• • Students ask less than 5% of the questions in both elementary and secondary classrooms.
Why do students initiate so few questions?
MISSUSES OF QUESTIONING
EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES
PREPARE THE QUESTION
PREPARE THE QUESTION
EDIT • • • Where else in the world would you predict a wall similar to the Berlin Wall might be built today?
Where might a wall similar to the Berlin Wall be built today?
Predict where another Berlin Wall might be built today.
EDIT • Create a dialogue between two cousins, who were separated by the Civil War, that describes their situation during the war and the early years of Reconstruction.
EDIT • Consider this hypothetical situation: Two cousins were chose to support opposite sides during the Civil War. What might these two discuss on the occasion of their reunion following the end of Reconstruction? Create a dialogue.
EDIT • • • • Judge the moral issues represented by each leader.
Judge the moral position upheld by each of the two leaders.
Defend the position of both world leaders as to its morality.
Identify the inconsistencies in the moral position held by each of the two world leaders.
POSING THE QUESTION
POSE IT WITH CARE • • • • Ask with interest in the STUDENT’S ANSWER Ask the questions slowly and easily – PUNCTUATE them Anticipate student responses Ask and stop
WHO WILL RESPOND
PROMPT STUDENT RESPONSES -
RESEARCH SHOWS. . .
• • • Teachers ask boys more difficult questions and provide longer wait time Children from poverty and minorities are asked lower level questions More vocal students dominate the class
PROCESS STUDENT RESPONSES
REFLECT ON QUESTIONING PRACTICE - Analyze questions - Map respondent selection - Evaluate student response patterns - Examine teacher and student reactions
HELP STUDENTS WHO RESPOND INCORRECTLY
DEVELOP AUTHENTIC QUESTIONS • Make sure the questions engage students in deeper thinking and not merely prompt them to recall information they have read or been told.
I had six honest serving men - They taught me all I knew: - Their names were Where and What and When - and Why and How and Who Rudyard Kipling
DEVELOP AUTHENTIC QUESTIONS
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL DEFINITION WHAT THE STUDENT DOES
REMEMBER Recall or location of specific bits of information Responds Absorbs Remembers Recognizes
WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Directs Tells Shows Examines
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Who, What, When, Where, How, How much, Describe, Define, Match, Select, Choose, Omit
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL DEFINITION
UNDER -STAND Understanding communicated material or information
WHAT THE STUDENT DOES WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Explains Translates Demonstrates Interprets Demonstrates Listens Questions Compares Contrasts Examines
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Classify, Judge, Infer, Show, Indicate, Tell, Translate, Outline, Summarize, Select, Match, Explain, Represent, Demonstrate
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL DEFINITION WHAT THE STUDENT DOES
APPLY Use of rules, concepts, principles, and theories in new situations Solves novel problems Demonstrates Uses knowledge Constructs
WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Shows Facilitates Observes Criticizes
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Predict, Choose, Select, Judge the effects, Explain, Identify , Why
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL
ANALYSIS
DEFINITION
Breaking down information into its parts
WHAT THE STUDENT DOES
Discusses Uncovers Lists Dissects
WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Probes Guides Observes Acts as resource
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Distinguish Identify What is..
What does..
What conclusions..
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL DEFINITION WHAT THE STUDENT DOES
EVALUATE Judging the value of materials or ideas on the basis of set standards or criteria Judges Disputes Forms pinions
WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Accepts Lays bare the criteria Harmonizes
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Appraise Judge Criticize Defend Compare
BLOOM’S TAXONOMY
LEVEL
CREATE
DEFINITION
Putting together ideas into a new or unique product or plan
WHAT THE STUDENT DOES WHAT THE TEACHER DOES
Discusses Generalizes Relates Contrasts Abstracts Reflects Extends Evaluates
WORDS TO HELP YOU ASK QUESTIONS
Create, Make, Plan, Design, Compose, Formulate, Develop, Speculate, Invent
USING QUESTIONS
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Response cards
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Hand signals
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Audience response systems
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ReQuest
•
Socratic seminar
REQUEST: RECIPROCAL QUESTIONING
• • Teaches students to ask and answer questions as they read Simply thinking about questions while they read improves comprehension (Christenbury, 2006)
SOCRATIC SEMINAR
• • • • Both narrative and informational texts may be used Must be rich enough to engage students in discussion Begin with a question posed by the teacher or leader Questions should have no right answer
THE TIME FACTOR • • • It is important that teachers ask good questions It models what students are expected to know BUT, do teachers have to be the only ones asking questions?
THE STUDENT CENTERED CLASSROOM • What are the benefits to allowing students to ask the questions?
THE STUDENT CENTERED CLASSROOM • What are the pitfalls to allowing students to ask the questions?
GET CREATIVE!
• • Use Manipulatives to play or invent games Keep it fresh!
HOW?
• • Manipulatives to stimulate student question generation Can be as open or as focused as the teacher wants them to be – Spinner – Dice – Question Cards – Question Strips
MATRIX TOSS • • • • TOPIC: SOMETHING IN THE ROOM AROUND YOU Roll the dice. You have 2 words to use to develop a question. Focus on something in the room Write your question
MATRIX TOSS • • • • • TOPIC: SOMETHING IN THE ROOM AROUND YOU Refocus your thoughts Roll the dice again. You have 2 words to use to generate a second question. Focus on the same thing that was your earlier focus Write your new question
METACOGNITION • • • How are the two questions alike?
How are they different?
Exploring the same subject with questions at different levels or from different perspectives provides more ideas and better insights
HOW?
• Use cooperative learning strategies to allow students to develop and answer questions
HOW?
• Use graphic organizers to help students categorize their questions – Easy-hard – Low consensus-high consensus – Levels on a taxonomy – Types of information necessary to respond to various questions
THINK TIME • • • Basic, but vital The more complex the question, the more think time is needed Don’t allow students to blurt out answers – make them take the time to think about their answers
METACOGNITION • • Force students to think about their own thinking Ask them to walk you through their thought process – What was going through your mind when …?
– What connections were you making when you decided to …?
– Has your thinking about the question or the answer changed since you wrote it? Why?
METACOGNITION • • • Have students share their thinking processes with a partner A powerful exercise to provide poor problem solvers with insights into the thinking of good problem solvers Can make good problem solvers better as they focus on their problem solving strategies
STUDENTS NEED TO DO HISTORY
• • So design a “product” for students – Individual assignments – Group assignments (more complicated, shared brain) – Modern connection (relevancy) Products can be anything – Graphic Organizer – Technology (Web 2.0 activities) – Traditional projects
EXAMPLES
• • • What factors led to the colonists thinking of themselves as “Americans” rather than “Englishmen”?
What factors led to the rise of the first civilizations?
What were the accomplishments of the early river valley civilizations?
SPIRAL
•
1. What do you know?
•
2. What can you infer?
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3. What conclusion can you draw?
STAAR & EOC
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TEA says consistently:
•
Know your TEKS inside out
•
TEACH your TEKS as they are stated
Danna Beck 806.677.5184