Questioning Techniques: A Study of Instructional Practice

Abstract

To what extent do teachers use questions to encourage deeper thinking and elicit fuller responses? How do teachers use the levels of questions and wait time as a teaching technique? How do teachers make space for students to talk together so that their thoughts are visible to other students? This article seeks to provide answers to these important questions through a review of the literature that begins with a study of the history of questioning, and then turns to the following topics: developing higher level thinking through questioning strategies; the role of wait time within the context of classroom climate and peer interactions; and higher order questioning strategies aligned with student achievement in reading and language arts. Although the author's frame of reference for how these issues play out is within the context of a school where students’ ability to articulate understanding and their own point of view is purposefully promoted and highly valued, the insights will have broad applicability across a full spectrum of schools.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joan Buchanan Hill

Joan Buchanan Hill (Ed.D.) is Head of School at the Lamplighter School in Dallas, Texas and is responsible for the leadership of 450 students in pre-K through Grade 4. Prior to her time at Lamplighter, she served for 12 years as Lower School Head at Columbus School for Girls in Columbus, Ohio. Additionally, she taught in the Lower School at both Hawken School and University School, located in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, a M.Ed. from John Carroll University, and a B.S. from Ohio University.