Methods of Teaching

Questions that ask for more evidence
How do you know that?
What does the author say that supports your argument?
Questions that ask for clarification
What do you mean by that?
Can you say that another way?
Hypothetical questions
What might have happened if Joey hadn’t missed the bus?
Cause-and-effect questions
How might that rumour affect the school play?
Summary and synthesis questions
What did you learn from this discussion?
What is the most important idea that came from this discussion?
Resources
S. D. Brookfield and S. Preskill, Discussion as a Way of Teaching (2nd edn.) (San 
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005).
J. T. Dillon, Questioning and Teaching: A Manual of Practice (New York: Teachers College 
Press, 1988).
C. S. Weinstein, M. E. Romano, and A. J. Mignano, Elementary Classroom Management: 
Lessons from Research and Practice (5th edn.) (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011).

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FACULTY RESOURCES: Methods of Teaching
91
Handout 8, Unit 6
Learning Goals vs. Activities and 
Assignments 
Following are statements from different subject areas. Some are more clearly learning 
goals; others are more clearly activities or assignments. After each statement, identify 
whether it is better classified as a learning goal or an activity or assignment. 
1. Students will be able to recognize the protagonist, theme, and voice of a piece of 
literature. 
2. Students will produce a book report on a book of their choice, including a table of 
contents, with proper pagination and format throughout. 
3. Given a set of coordinates, students will be able to graph the slope of a line. 
4. Students will compare and describe the slopes of two lines. 
5. Students will understand the differences and similarities between metamorphic, 
igneous, and sedimentary rock. 
6. Students will understand how the Borgia family in_uenced the Renaissance. 
7. Students will be able to explain how the problems created by the French and Indian 
War contributed to causes of the American Revolution. 
8. Students will produce a play dramatizing the problems created by the French and 
Indian War and how they contributed to causes of the American Revolution. 
9. Students will understand that matter is made up of atoms and that atoms, in turn, 
are made up of subatomic particles. 
10. Students will write a paper describing the relationships among atoms and sub-
atomic particles. 
Designing and Teaching Learning Goals and Objectives © 2009 Marzano Research 
Laboratory • www.marzanoresearch.com
Visit www.marzanoresearch.com/classroomstrategiesthework to download this page.
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