Questioning

Question Type:
Do you feel your During my practicum when planning for my lesson enquires, I used clearly
questions were clearly constructed questions because questioning, is a skill that engages people in
structured and readily verbal interactions. (Groundwater-Smith. S & Ewing. R & Le Cornu.R, 2003, pp.
understood by the 257). For the foremost the questions were understood by the students, and only a
students? few were redirected to guide the students in the right direction. During my
lessons I used both closed and open-ended questions, to extend the students
Did you use a variety of learning. Closed questions were minority to the others, as they were only needed
question types? when keeping students on track. Closed questions, direct the speaker towards
what the receiver wants to hear about. (Groundwater-Smith. S & Ewing. R & Le
Cornu.R, 2003, pp. 257). In the open-ended questions, many used were recall
answers, however, some included process analysis. These questions were
important to assess the students learning, by allow the students to, solve his or
Consider both why and her own problems. (Groundwater-Smith. S & Ewing. R & Le Cornu.R, 2003,
when you made use of pp.257). This distinguished how beneficial the activities were to the students. I
the different question used closed ended questions, when I needed a simple response to whether the
types? students were on the same page, or listening to instructions. For example; What
do we include on the top of our page? Name and date. When using open-
ended questions requiring a recall answer, I used these to verify the students
memory of the topic. For example; What are the important parts of a procedure?
These types of questions were used in both my group and class lessons, to recall
students previous knowledge of the topic. Another type of open-ended question I
used were process answers, which I utilised to allow students to act on previous
experiences and dig deep for answers. An example of a question used in my
lessons is; What types of materials do you think we would need to make
Oobleck? This question was used before the lesson, as a prediction for students
before the activities started. In my lessons, I used closed questions at the
beginning and then moved through open-ended recall questions and finally to
What balances were open-ended process questions. I balanced my use of the different types by using
there between the the recall questions to a majority, as the students had only learnt about the topic
various questions for one lesson prior. I also used both open-ended and closed- ended questions in
types? my quiz, this allow students to solve the question and use their own knowledge to
find an answer.

Distributing and Directing Questions

Did you recognise any Regarding questioning that was aimed at the whole class, and for students to put
pattern in the up their hands to answer, I did see the same students answering the questions.
distribution of your Due to this I tried to aim my questions at certain parts of the room, tables or
questions amongst the students. I wanted to give all students the opportunity to answer and feel praised
students? Consider for working hard during my time there. Those students that showed active
reasons for this pattern? listening skills, were those who responded in ways that showed they cared about
what was being said and clarified their understanding. (Groundwater-Smith. S &
Ewing. R & Le Cornu.R, 2003, pp. 244). The reason, I believe, for the pattern in the
same students raising their hands, is that they were both confident (in their answer
and in public speaking) and that they were listening to instructions and were
focussed in class.
During my group lesson, when directing questions, I made sure that all students
How have you directed got asked at least twice to answer a given question. This made sure that all
questions to the group? students were on task and were listening to instructions. When directing the
questions, I made sure that the students really dug deep for their answers and
went above and beyond what was expected. This is because the students in my
 group exceeded their general year 3 English requirements and I wanted to
challenge them to their full abilities.
In my lessons, I used wait time to give the students enough time to think about
Have you used wait my question and gather their ideas together. Once most the students are ready, I
time? would choose someone to answer the question. Using wait time is important to
allow the class to regain their thoughts and ideas, before answering the questions.
I made sure that I made eye contact with every student in my group lesson and
Did you make eye during my class lesson. Eye contact is important to keeping children focussed and
contact with the group having their eyes and ears, their attention and their mind on you. As I went
as you directed your through my lessons, I gave eye contact when asking questions, so the students
questions? knew I was listening to their answers, I cared and I was intrigued in what they were
saying. Eye contact is important in not only drawing attention from the students
but also to show the students you are listening and their participation matters.

Reactions to Students Responses

My method for dealing with correct responses during questions, was to allow the
How do you deal with students to finish what they wanted to say and smile towards them as they did, this
correct responses? Do gives them encouragement. Praise was rewarded to all children, for example, what
you qualify any praise an awesome input or great work, you sound like an expert on the topic. These
given? types of comments boost children self-esteem and the more they get praised the
more likely they will put their hands up next time a question is asked. Another
method I took on from my mentor teacher and the class was Dojo points, which is
an application where students are awarded points all week and this makes
students strive to participate in discussions and question time.
What use do you make During my practicum, listening and understanding the childrens responses
of the students defiantly develops your teaching point and clarification. As children think
responses to develop differently and see the world in a different perspective, hearing what they say lets
the teaching point? you see their creative minds and possibilities for great learning. While asking
Have you redirected questions, I did redirect a few and changed the language or the way I was asking it
any questions in order to allow students to make sense of it. The redirecting of questions, allowed me to
to add to an initial develop my teaching to how students make sense of certain phrases and how they
response? learn and develop through the exploration of ideas.

Are you the only Throughout my practicum, my mentor teacher and the educational assistants were
evaluator of the also the evaluator of the students answers. This was evident because they often
students answers? worked with those students who have difficulties, during my lessons. However,
even the students themselves were also their own evaluators. I witnessed students
changing their flow, correcting themselves or asked to be given the chance to
explain their ideas again. As the practicum teacher, I evaluated the students
responses, and watching my mentor teacher evaluate their responses helped me
develop my learning as a teacher.
How do you deal with Regarding students who gave incorrect answers, I did not use comments like no
incorrect responses? thats wrong, or stop thats not the right answer, as this shuts them down and
How do you deal with lowers their confidence. Instead, I still praised their efforts, asked them to
students who stumble elaborate or hinted them in the right direction without them feeling humiliated
and grope for an and wrong. For students who stumbled or tried to reach for an answer I simply
answer? hinted at them, or asked if anyone could help them out. However, I still gave the
student chance to talk as it is important every student has their say, is heard and is
given the chance to participate. In the BED150 unit, we explored reflection
opportunities through, Groundwater-Smith. S & Ewing. R & Le Cornu.R, 2003, of
how to deal with poor behaviour and in doing so made this issue on practicum
easier than anticipated.