How many questions does a teacher ask during a school day?
Asking questions helps us understand each other. By asking them, we can gather more information and better process the world around us.
Not all questions are effective!
As humans, we ask others questions every day.In our personal lives, we probably do this unconsciously, but in the classroom, asking important questions is a conscious choice by teachers. One of the first systematic question studies, conducted in the first half of the 20th century, found that teachers’ questions and students’ answers occupied about “80 percent of the average school day” (Stevens, 1912, p. 22). .
As teachers, we consciously ask students around 300 questions every day. Many of these are colloquial, unique and unconscious.Sometimes one or two are explicit and intended to clarify misunderstandings, check understanding, inspire or empower students.
However, not all questions asked may prove effective and lead to the correct action or answer.
Some of the questions a teacher asks may be poorly worded, inappropriately worded, or (inadvertently) provocative. This can lead to dismissive and nonverbal reactions or even aggressive behavior, which is at odds with the work that teachers are trying to do in the classroom.
Over the last 12 months I have dealt with the topic of questions.
In my new book I want to go further so that teachers can explain some of the most popular strategies, why and how they work, and what they can do to implement them in their practice. This will make our teaching very effective and the side effect will be that teachers will have more meaningful conversations with people in their professional lives.
I believe that if a teacher accumulates a wide range of questioning strategies and knows how learning occurs, then he or she can always ask a wide range of questions that engage, encourage, support or hinder, challenge or motivate students.