Asking questions is essential to improving comprehension. Questioning helps students make a connection between what is being taught, and how well they understand the subject matter. It also serves as verification that they have successfully mastered the lesson. In our modern education system questioning is more important than answers according to Dr. Strange. As we transition from No Child Left Behind to the Common Core Curriculum good questioning skills are critical for present students to learn. The Common Core is geared towards students learning things conceptually rather than mere rote memorization of facts. This is why students must learn how to ask great information seeking questions.
In Ben Johnson's post "The Right Way to Ask Questions in the Classroom" he is troubled about teachers asking yes or no questions to students concerning their comprehension of the lesson. Johnson believes that questions like these help students falsely persuade the teacher about their understanding of the subject. Furthermore, it does not push the students to think critically. However, he provides the antidote to this problem from research done by Mary Budd Rowe. She believed that if teachers ask a question, pause for three seconds, and call on a student this will motivate all students to being thinking about an answer. Only after another students name is called will they experience relief because they were not chosen. Randomly calling on different students to answer questions will keep students thinking and alert because they understand they could be called upon any time to give an answer.
In "Asking Questions to Improve Learning" Washington University in St. Louis compiled a list to help educators ask question that will help students actively learn. The following are strategies I found most effective: When planning questions keep in mind your course goals, and aim for clear, direct, and specific questions. The first strategy suggest that teachers should shape questions to course goals. For example, what does the instructor intend for the students to learn. Do you want students to learn new a new concept? If this is the goal you should form questions to confirm that the students learned the material. The next strategy is to ask simple questions. When educators are teaching a new lesson they should ask questions that progress toward the depth of the subject rather than ask complex questions in the beginning. Critical thinking skills have to be built so students can ask good questions.
