What you will learn

Questions are central to our classrooms. For instance, we take attendance, organize seating,  and give task instructions by asking questions. Have you ever wondered how effective your questions and questioning strategies are?

In this workshop, we’ll look at how we can ask questions that promote both language learning as well as authentic language use in our classrooms.

We will also explore reasons why questions fail and how to avoid bad questioning strategies. At the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to use questions effectively in your teaching, thus moving your lessons forward for all your learners. 

Workshop Summary

Introduction to the Webinar 

In this ELT Masterclass webinar, the speaker focuses on engaging students and promoting learning through effective questioning techniques in the classroom. By understanding the types of questions and their purposes, teachers can facilitate an environment that encourages discovery and learning.

Tips for Effective Questioning

The speaker highlights the importance of asking questions to create a learner-centred environment. By asking questions, teachers can involve students in the learning process, assess their understanding, and enable them to make their own discoveries. The speaker introduces two types of questions: display and referential questions. Display questions check students’ knowledge and recall, while referential questions encourage students to think and express their opinions.

The speaker offers tips for asking effective questions, such as avoiding the “echo” technique, where a teacher repeats students’ answers, and using wait-time to allow students to process the question and formulate their responses. Additionally, the speaker advises teachers to ask questions that are clear, concise, and open-ended, using simple language and appropriate pacing.

Understanding Question Types

The speaker delves deeper into the different types of questions: closed (polar) questions, which offer limited choices; really closed questions, which have only one correct answer; and open questions, which allow for multiple answers. Each type of question has its advantages and disadvantages, and teachers should consider which type is most appropriate for their learners.

Closed questions encourage shorter answers and demonstrate understanding of language, while open questions encourage longer answers and demonstrate language in use. Teachers should consider which type of question is better for their specific students and situations.

Avoiding Pitfalls

To avoid common pitfalls, teachers should not ask hypothetical questions if students lack the language ability to answer them, avoid asking questions students don’t know or cannot guess, and avoid asking questions within questions.

Conclusion: Reflection and Improvement

In conclusion, the speaker encourages teachers to reflect on their own use of questions in class and consider how they can improve their questioning techniques. This may include varying the types of questions asked, incorporating authentic questions, and avoiding common pitfalls. The speaker also suggests resources for further reading on the topic.

By using effective questioning techniques, teachers can create a more engaging and learner-centred classroom environment, allowing students to take an active role in their own learning and discovery.

Reflective Questions

Have a quick think about the reflective questions below in order to get the most out of the workshop:

1. What can I do if my students have misunderstood my question?
2. Is there any rule about who to ask questions to, in class?
3. I feel my questions are very boring – what can you suggest?
4. Discovery questions really slow my lesson down – is there any way to speed things up?

Recommended Further Reading

• Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2013) Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding. Alexandria: ASCD.
• British Council. Teaching English: Asking Questions  https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/asking-questions.