3b. Using questioning and discussion techniques
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These are helpful question guides during student writing prompts
Elements of Component 3b are:
Indicators include:
Component 3b: Artifact List
- Quality of questions/prompts: Questions of high quality cause students to think and reflect, to deepen their understanding, and to test their ideas against those of their classmates. When teacher ask questions of high quality, they ask only a few of them, and they provide students with sufficient time to think about their response, to reflect on the comments of their classmates, and to deepen their understanding. Occasionally, for the purposes of review, teachers ask students a series of (usually low-level) questions in a type of verbal quiz. This may be helpful for the purpose of establishing the facts of an historical event, for example, but they should not be confused with the use of questioning to deepen students' understanding.
- Discussion techniques: Effective teachers promote learning through discussion. Some teachers report that "we discussed x" when what they mean is that "I said x." That is, some teachers confuse discussion with explanation of content; as important as that is, it's not discussion. Rather, in a true discussion, a teacher poses a question, and invites all students' views to be heard, and enabling students to engage in discussion directly with one another, not always mediated by the teacher.
- Student participation: In some classes a few students tend to dominate the discussion,; other students, recognizing this pattern, hold back their contributions. Teacher uses a range of techniques to ensure that all students contribute to the discussion, and enlist the assistance of students to ensure this outcome.
Indicators include:
- Questions of high cognitive challenge, formulated by both students and teacher
- Questions with multiple correct answers, or multiple approaches even when there is a single correct response
- Effective use of student responses and ideas
- Discussion with the teacher stepping out of the central, mediating role
Component 3b: Artifact List
- Question bank