Induction tutor materials
Training session - using questioning
Duration: 60 minutes
Session objectives
Learn that:
- 4.6. Questioning is an essential tool for teachers; questions can be used for many purposes, including to check pupils’ prior knowledge, assess understanding and break down problems.
- 4.7. High-quality classroom talk can support pupils to articulate key ideas, consolidate understanding and extend their vocabulary.
Learn how to stimulate pupil thinking and check for understanding, by:
- 4m. Including a range of types of questions in class discussions to extend and challenge pupils (for example, by modelling new vocabulary or asking pupils to justify answers).
- 4n. Providing appropriate wait time between question and response where more developed responses are required.
- 4p. Providing scaffolds for pupil talk to increase the focus and rigour of dialogue.
Learn how to meet individual needs without creating unnecessary workload, by:
- 5k. Reframing questions to provide greater scaffolding or greater stretch.
Learn how to check prior knowledge and understanding during lessons, by:
- Prompting pupils to elaborate when responding to questioning to check that a correct answer stems from secure understanding.
How to prepare for the session
Ask ECTs to bring examples of classroom talk that they have used in their practice.
Read the ECT’s self-study materials for this module
You may wish to prepare audio or video clips, or written transcriptions, of classroom talk using questioning.
Aim to model effective assessment practices throughout.
Session structure:
Reflecting on classroom talk using questioning (40 minutes)
Share this definition of classroom talk:
High-quality classroom talk is accountable talk which stimulates pupil thinking and drives learning forward. This is usually facilitated by the teacher through good questioning.
Ask:
- do you agree with this definition?
- is there anything you would add?
- when we use the term ‘classroom talk’, what do we not mean?
Ask ECTs to share some of the ways they’ve tried to use classroom talk recently.
Ask ECTs to analyse some examples of classroom talk using questioning. Examples could be drawn from their own lessons, or audio or video clips, or written transcriptions you’ve sourced.
You could provide a scaffold for this analysis. For example:
Questions
What was the balance of open to closed questions?
Which questions encouraged high quality classroom talk, such as encouraging pupils to articulate key ideas or extend their vocabulary?
How much wait time were pupils given to answer questions?
What was the purpose of each question?
Categorise the reasons into:
- checking prior knowledge
- assessing understanding
- breaking down problems
- eliciting the correct answer
- checking pupils have understood the concept taught
- another reason
Were the answers the teacher gathered from the entire group, a small targeted number of pupils, or an individual?
Did the teacher use questions to introduce or model the use of new vocabulary?
Were pupil misconceptions identified through the questions?
Did the teacher prompt pupils to elaborate on their responses or ask pupils to respond to each other’s responses?
How many times did the teacher reframe or use follow-on questions to provide greater scaffold or greater stretch?
Notes from observation
What did this look like?
How might it affect learning?
Ask ECTs to share their learning from this activity, including any areas of practice they may need to develop.
Sharing effective practice in questioning (10 minutes)
Ask ECTs to work in groups, possibly with colleagues from similar phase or subject areas.
Ask them to compile examples of high-quality classroom talk and questioning that they’ve tried, observed or learned about.
These can be shared with the wider group for reference.
Planning for action (10 minutes)
Ask ECTs to identify an action they’ll take forward related to the effective use of questioning.
This may be something they commit to:
- read or watch
- try out in their classroom
- look for in others’ teaching