Fergana state university philology and teaching languages

1.2 Benefits and challenges of questioning strategies
Questioning strategies are techniques that teachers use to elicit information from students, check their understanding, stimulate their thinking, and promote their participation in class. Questioning strategies can have various benefits for both teachers and students, such as:
- Enhancing student engagement and motivation.
- Developing student comprehension and critical thinking skills.
- Providing feedback to teachers on student learning and progress.
- Encouraging student reflection and self-assessment.
- Fostering a positive classroom climate and rapport.
However, questioning strategies also pose some challenges for teachers, such as:
- Designing effective questions that align with the learning objectives and the level of thinking required.
- Managing the classroom dynamics and ensuring equitable participation from all students.
- Responding appropriately to student answers, whether they are correct, incorrect, incomplete, or unclear.
- Balancing the amount and quality of teacher talk and student talk.
- Adapting the questioning strategies to different contexts, subjects, and students.
Therefore, teachers need to be aware of the various types of questions they can ask, the purposes they serve, and the best practices for implementing them in the classroom. In this blog post, we will explore some of the most common and effective questioning strategies that teachers can use to enhance their teaching and learning.
## Wait time
Wait time is the amount of time that a teacher allows between asking a question and expecting a response from students. Research has shown that increasing wait time can have positive effects on student learning outcomes, such as:
- Increasing the number and quality of student responses.
- Improving student confidence and participation.
- Allowing students to process the question and formulate their answers.
- Encouraging students to elaborate on their answers or ask clarifying questions.
A general rule of thumb is to allow at least three seconds of wait time after asking a question. However, depending on the difficulty and complexity of the question, the teacher may need to extend or reduce the wait time accordingly. The teacher should also monitor the non-verbal cues from students, such as eye contact, facial expressions, and body language, to gauge their readiness to answer.²
## No hands up
No hands up is a questioning strategy that involves randomly selecting students to answer questions, rather than relying on volunteers who raise their hands. This strategy can have several benefits for student learning and engagement, such as:
- Increasing student attention and accountability.
- Reducing student anxiety and competition.
- Avoiding over-reliance on a few dominant or confident students.
- Providing a more representative sample of student understanding.
To implement this strategy effectively, the teacher should establish clear expectations and norms with the students beforehand. For example, the teacher should explain that:
- All students are expected to be prepared to answer any question at any time.
- No one will be put on the spot or embarrassed for not knowing an answer.
- The teacher will provide support and scaffolding if needed.
- The teacher will use a fair and transparent method for selecting students.
Some of the methods that teachers can use to randomly select students include:
- Using a name generator app or website.
- Drawing names from a hat or a jar.
- Using popsicle sticks or cards with student names on them.
- Using a seating chart or a map of the classroom.
## No opt out
No opt out is a questioning strategy that involves ensuring that every student who is asked a question provides an answer, even if they initially say "I don't know" or "I'm not sure". This strategy can have several benefits for student learning and confidence, such as:
- Reinforcing high expectations and accountability for all students.
- Preventing students from avoiding participation or giving up easily.
- Providing opportunities for students to practice retrieval and recall of information.
- Building student self-efficacy and resilience.
To implement this strategy effectively, the teacher should use a supportive and encouraging tone with the students. For example, the teacher should:
- Acknowledge that it is okay to not know an answer sometimes, but not accept it as a final response.
- Remind the student that they have the resources and strategies to find or figure out an answer.
- Provide hints, clues, prompts, or examples to help the student recall or construct an answer.
- Ask another student who knows the answer to share it with the class, then ask the original student to repeat or rephrase it.
Say it again, better
Say it again, better is a questioning strategy that involves asking students to improve or refine their speech.
Some examples of questioning strategies are:
- Asking open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer
- Asking probing questions that prompt students to explain their reasoning or provide evidence
- Asking higher-order questions that challenge students to analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information
- Asking wait-time questions that give students enough time to think and respond
- Asking follow-up questions that build on students' responses or extend the discussion
Questioning strategies have many benefits for both teachers and students. Some of the benefits are:
- They can activate students' prior knowledge and make connections to new concepts
- They can assess students' comprehension and identify misconceptions
- They can stimulate students' interest and motivation to learn
- They can foster students' engagement and participation in class discussions
- They can develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- They can enhance students' metacognition and self-regulation
However, questioning strategies also pose some challenges for teachers. Some of the challenges are:
- They require careful planning and preparation to align with the learning objectives and outcomes
- They demand skillful delivery and facilitation to elicit meaningful responses and feedback
- They entail flexible adaptation and differentiation to suit the diverse needs and abilities of students
- They involve ongoing evaluation and reflection to monitor the effectiveness and impact of the questions
Therefore, teachers need to be aware of the benefits and challenges of questioning strategies and use them appropriately and effectively in their teaching practice.³