Transcript Slide 1

DTC central training on using
effective questioning and starting
lessons
 Using questioning at Key Stage 3 to
get pupils to think harder and for
longer
Phil Smith Foundation Strand Consultant Bury
LEA
Before 5.30pm we will
 Are we fully aware of the range of questions
we use in our classrooms?
What’s good questioning?
Planning for successful questioning?
•What practical things can we do after this
training?
Before 5.30pm we will
 See how more purposeful lessons are linked to
the way they actually start
 Develop an understanding of many different
and varied ways of starting lessons to
encourage greater motivation, engagement and
challenge.
Why have training in which we just
focus on questioning?
What do you think the reasons are?
a. the most common form of interaction between teacher
and pupil;
b. an element of virtually every type and model of lesson;
c. a key method of providing appropriate challenge for all
pupils;
d. an important influence on the extent of progress made;
e. the most immediate and accessible way for a
teacher to assess learning.
Can you spot the dodgy
questions?
 They must capture interest
 Focus on real worthwhile aspects of that
subject’s thinking, concepts or processes
 Result in a tangible, lively, substantial and
enjoyable “outcome activity” through which
pupils can genuinely answer the key
question
Can we spot the dodgy
“questions”?
1.
Electricity
2.
Weather patterns over Europe
3.
Do different people in different countries respond the same
to natural disasters?
4.
Telling the time in French
5.
How would you cope if you were lost in Paris after missing
the school coach?
6.
What structures do musicians use to organise sounds?
7.
Tempo
8.
School trip to the art gallery
9.
How effective is the art gallery in portraying different styles
of painting from the 20th century?
10.
When did the French Revolution happen?
11.
Why do we still bother to study the French Revolution?
What’s the purpose of good
questioning in a classroom?
 To interest, engage and challenge pupils
 To check on prior knowledge
 To stimulate recall and use of existing knowledge and experience
in order to create new understanding and meaning
 To focus thinking on key concepts and issues
 To extend pupils’ thinking from the concrete and factual to the
analytical and evaluative
 To lead pupils through a planned sequence which
progressively establishes key understandings
 To promote reasoning, problem solving, evaluation and the
formulation of hypotheses
 To promote pupils’ thinking about the way they have learned
Pitfalls of questioning
It is easy to fall into the trap of:
 asking too many closed questions;
 asking pupils questions to which they can
respond with a simple yes or no answer;
Pitfalls of questioning
It is easy to fall into the trap of:
 asking too many short-answer, recall-based
questions;
 asking bogus ‘guess what I’m thinking’ questions;
 starting all questions with the same stem;
More pitfalls of questioning
It is easy to fall into the trap of:
 pursuing red herrings;
 dealing ineffectively with incorrect answers or misconceptions;
 focusing on a small number of pupils and not involving the
whole class;
And some more…
 making the sequence of questions too rigid;
 not giving pupils time to reflect, or to pose their
own questions;
 asking questions when another strategy might be
more appropriate…See Handout 4.2
Using questions to promote
thinking….There’s nothing so
practical as a good theory!
Achievement at NC
Level 5+ require such
higher-order thinking
And yet pupils’ level of
achievement can be
increased by regular
practice of higher-order
thinking
Few questions
developed higher-order
thinking skills
Bloom researched
thousands of questions
that teachers asked and
categorised them
The majority of
questions asked (95%)
by teachers were
factual recall and
comprehension
Goldilocks and Bloom
 Knowledge…Whose porridge was too sweet?
 Comprehension…Why did Goldilocks like Little
Bear’s bed best?
 Application…What would have happened if
Goldilocks had come to your house?
 Analysis…Which parts of the story could not be
true?
 Synthesis…Can you think of a different
ending?
 Evaluation…What do you think of the story?
Was Goldilocks good or bad?
Why?
What did Bloom discover?
 Evaluation being able to judge the worth of material against stated
criteria. Sees pupils judging, assessing comparing and contrasting
 Synthesis being able to put together separate ideas to form new
wholes, or to establish new links
 Analysis being able to explain how the various parts fit together, infer
and analyse
 Application using learnt information, ideas and skills in new
topics/situations.
 Comprehension where pupils start to understand the basic information
so that they can explain it
 Knowledge or recall of bits of “stuff”…..can be the foundation for
higher levels of thinking
How much of Bloom is in your
classroom?
In groups of 3 or 4 can you
identify what range and styles
of questions are being asked
to these pupils…Handout 4.4
 Use Bloom’s list to classify
and sort these questions.
This is pretty tricky to do
since we are taking these
questions out of context.
Some suggested answers
Bloom’s taxonomy
Questions
Knowledge
2,3,11
Comprehension
10, 15
Application
5,9,13,16,18
Analysis
4,14,17
Synthesis
6,12
Evaluation
1,7,8
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Knowledge
Activities
Questions for learning
•Tell
•What three things are the most
important?
•Recite
•List
•Describe them to me
•Memorise
•List for me the key characters in the
book
•Remember
•Write your list, turn it over, repeat it
•Find
•Where in the book would you find
•Name
•Name as many characters as you can,
go for 5
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Comprehension
Activities
Questions for learning
•Explain
•What do you think is happening here?
•Give examples of
•Can you think of any other examples?
•Summarise
•What might this mean?
•draw
•What 3 things are the most important?
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Application
Activities
Questions for learning
•Demonstrate
•Plan and deliver a presentation to…
•Based on what you know
•What is most significant for your
chosen audience?
•Model
•How can you best demonstrate your
understanding?
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Analysis
Activities
Questions for learning
•Investigate
•What information is needed? Where
will you get it?
•Classify
•Categorise
•Facts and opinions
•Organise the data using a flow
chart/concept map
•List arguments for and against,
compare them
•Separate into fact and opinion using a
Venn diagram
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Synthesis
Activities
Questions for learning
•Create
•Provide a portfolio for evidence
showing your case for…
•Compose
•Forecast
•Taking the theme of stillness produce
three pieces for piano
•Formulate
•Using all the evidence available…
•Argue the case for
•Based on the evidence and your own
feelings, what do you think is likely
to…?
•Predict
•Imagine
How much more of Bloom can you
get into your classroom?
Evaluation
Activities
Questions for learning
•Prioritise
•Re-order with a justification
•Rate
•Design a mechanism to evaluate the
performance
•Grade
•Critique
•Judge
•Recommend
•Discuss the relative merits in relation
to…
•Following your critique, say which is
better and why
•What is the bst option? Why? List
five reasons.
Tactics used in a real classroom
Use Handout 4.5 to record
some positive features of the
questioning
Ms. History

Stimulated thinking by
(i)
(ii)
Having an unhurried pace
Allowed wait times….(the average wait time is less than 1 second
and below average pupils are given even LESS wait time).
Open ended questions
Pupils asked speculative “What if” questions
(iii)
(iv)

Extended/sustained responses
by
(i) Requesting explanations
(ii) Posed challenging “Why” questions
(iii) Pupils’ answers are valued by the teacher
Ms. History

Encouraged active listening
by
(i)
Poising questions to conscripts as well as
volunteers
Using a variety of questions
Encouraging pupils to generate their own
questions
(ii)
(iii)

Created an interaction between
pupils by
(i) Carefully structuring “think, pair, share” sessions
(ii) Encouraging to ask each other questions
(iii) Requesting pupils to add to and challenge the answers
provided by others
Handouts 4.6 and 4.7
Great use of departmental
time…spend 25 minutes as a
department using 4.6 to identify
possible benefits and contexts for
using each tactic with a particular
class in mind.
Whilst 4.7 provides the basis for
further discussion
Ready for more?
Begin to build key questions into your
medium as well as short-term planning.
In a departmental meeting discuss how you
might plan sequences of questions that build
up pupils’ understanding of important
concepts.
Pacey starts can be crucial
Per lesson
Over the Key Stage 3
1 minute saved
2 hours saved
2 minutes saved
4 hours saved
3 minutes saved
6 hours saved
Common ways of starting a
lesson





Sit down and get your books out
Copy the date and title then listen to teacher
Quick recap on the previous lesson
Take the register
Answer a few brief questions before the lesson
fully develops
 Stand behind your chair
 Hand books out
 Waiting for silence
The ideal learning state
High
Challenge
Low
High
Low
Stress
Activity…the High ChallengeLow Challenge game
 High challenge refers to the extent to which
“high-order” thinking is demanded by the
starter activity
Activity…the High Challenge-Low
Challenge game

Challenge is not the only factor in an effective
start to the lesson…
Pace…with focus on thinking and learning
rather than on the business of the activity.
(ii) Interaction…essentially the pupils are active.
(iii) Involvement…be wary of the “Put your hand up and tell
(i)
me what we did last week” syndrome setting in.
Activity…the High Challenge-Low
Challenge game

Challenge is not the only factor in an effective
start to the lesson…
(iv) Connecting with prior learning..
”Do you remember when…?”
(v) Arouse pupil curiosity and intrigue…are they
thought provoking?
(vi) Can include brief, small-group activities.
I’d like you to think about what you think were the three most
important things which you can remember about….which we did
last week. Turn to your partner and explain what you have
chosen and why?”
But what is the BIG picture you’re
trying to create?
Starter activities work best when they are placed
within challenging and fun sequences of lessons
(See art/geography examples)
Main enquiry covering a series of lessons over a period of weeks perhaps
Starter
Starter
Starter
Multiple Intelligences and
starting lessons
What this really means…
Logical/Mathematical
(i) Puzzles
(ii) Charts
(iii)Graphs
(iv)Analysis
(v) Forecasts
(vi)Predictions
Imaginative use of this model
 Logical/Mathematical in English
M-KD= (KM)
Macbeth minus King Duncan equals King
Macbeth-but not for long, so put it in
brackets
What this really means…
Interpersonal
(i) Group work
(ii) Team work
(iii)Interviewing
(iv)Chat shows
(v) Drama
(vi)Teaching others
(vii)Group leading
(viii)Group co-ordinating
Imaginative use of this model

Interpersonal
(i) This can free yourself up to work with
those who really need your support.
(ii) Buddy-up systems
What this really means

Intrapersonal
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
WIIFM’s?
Empathy
Emotional
Metacognition
Target setting
Hypothetical…What if?
Imaginative use of this model

Intrapersonal
(i) Encourage reflection…”Well done…how
did you do it?”
(ii) Which bits did you learn quickest and
why?
(iii) How would you feel if….? (Geography and
the rain cycle)
(iv) Science experiments
What this really means

Visual/spatial
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Learning maps
Posters
Highlighter pens
Symbols
Icons
Instructive display work
Imaginative use of this model

Visual/spatial
(i) We have a better memory for pictures than
we do for words (see “From the land of the
gods”)
(ii) Using colour improves our memory
(iii) Mind-mapping
What this really means

Body/physical
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
Role play
Making models
Movement
Acting
Practical
Walking through the learning
Imaginative use of this model

Body/physical
(i) English Dept used “Go high” and “Go low” when
developing a new area of learning.
(ii) Happy-sad continuums.
(iii) Moving around the classroom (Trenches-table
example)
(iv) Science lesson (solar system in the hall-moving
to Holst’s “The Planets”)
(v) Maths…Jumping from column to column
What this really means

Musical
(i) Rhymes
(ii) Raps
(iii) Jingles
(iv) Songs
(v) Background music
Imaginative use of this model

Musical
(i)
Creates the right kind of
atmosphere for learning
Examples (Bach’s
Goldberg
Variations/Pachelbel)
(ii)
What this really means

Verbal linguistic
(i) Debates
(ii) Stories
(iii) Discussions
(iv) Poems
(v) Word games
(vi) Speeches
(vii) Diary entries
Imaginative use of this model

Verbal/linguistic
(i) Class discussions (think carefully about
your enquiry question)
(ii) Radio commercials
(iii) Poems to help with remembering key
concepts
What this really means

Naturalistic
(i) Going out of the
classroom to learn
(ii) Classifying into
family groups
What this really means

(i)
Naturalistic
Varying your classroom environment (Battle of Hastings
out doors?)
(ii) Which animals would Disney use in a cartoon version of
Macbeth?
(iii) Persecution of other groups through Darwin’s eyes?
(iv) Emily Davison throwing herself in front of the horse from
the horse’s point of view
(v) Amazonian rainforest through the eyes of the creatures
living there and dying there
Be aware
 We tend to teach and start lessons
according to the way WE prefer to learn.
 Wear your creative thinking hat
a. How can we incorporate music into
Art lessons?
b. Can we use these models to
evaluate our current schemes of
work?
c. Would Mozart have been happy just
doing Music one hour a week?
WARNING…Watch
out for the
potential problems!
1. Take too long or even take over
the whole lesson!
2. They can lose pace and
direction and lack clear learning
outcomes
3. Too quick a pace can lose
pupils who need extra thinking or
speaking time
WARNING…Watch
out for the
potential problems!
4. Can bore the more able if you
are not careful!
5. Become a fixed routine that
bores
6. Can be derailed by the arrival
of latecomers
So if those are the problems,
what are the solutions?
 They need careful planning and preparation
so that everyone (teacher and pupils) see the
purpose of the activity
 Remain focussed on the purpose of the starting
activity
 Use a variety of activities to get the lessons
started
So if those are the problems,
what are the solutions?
 Skilful teacher questioning, coupled with
thinking time. (Bloom’s ideas are really
useful here)
 Effective use of classroom support
 Adding extra challenge for some by
increasing the complexity or sophistication
of the activity
The keys to successful starters
 To avoid over running plan this as a discrete
element of the lesson.
 Ensure that your starter activities contribute
directly to the overall lesson objectives
 Choose starters that best fit your BIG picture
planning
 Make sure that your starter activities show
progression over time!
Second to last slide…the keys to
successful starters
 Use varied and unusual routines to create
motivation. (Think of Alistair Smith and
Multiple Intelligences)
 Plan for a brief conclusion at the end of the
starter to consolidate the gains made
Ready for more?
 Why not trial three different types of starter that
you have not used before with the one class over
the enquiry/lesson sequence?
 Follow this up with a departmental discussion
about how these might be incorporated into a Year
7 scheme of work for next year
 Also during this meeting discuss what other
colleagues have been trying out.