Learn how to ask deeper questions and develop better questioning habits with this important resource. Author Ben Johnson takes you step-by-step through the key considerations and brain-based research to keep in mind when developing questions.
Learn how to ask deeper questions and develop better questioning habits with this important resource. Author Benjamin Stewart Johnson takes you step by step through the key considerations and brain- based research to keep in mind when developing questions. He begins with an overview of why it’s important to understand participants’ thought process when being asked questions. He then shows how to set expectations for virtual questions and face- to- face questions; how to plan authentic, higher- order questions; how to scaffold and differentiate questions; and how to avoid zombie questions. In addition, he debunks myths such as wait time and points out the best ways to help learners support their answers, use questions to check for understanding, and more. Each section concludes by helping you create an action plan to improve your skills in a given area. Appropriate for teachers, instructional coaches, training facilitators, and specialists, the book can be used independently or in schoolwide book studies to help educators of all subjects and grades improve the depth and quality of their questioning.
Section I: Questioning Foundation
1. Questions: Why ask questions?
2.
Questioning Perspective: What really happens inside a participants head when
an instructor asks questions?
3. Whole Brain Questions: What types of
questions are compatible with brain-based learning?
4. Virtual Questioning
Distinctions: How does that differ from in-person questions?
5.
Substantiveness: How can question promote deep thinking? Section II: Planning
Learning
6. Wild Hog Questions: How do you prepare effective questions before
instruction?
7. A Question for Every Brain: How do you differentiate
questions according to needs?
8. Questions 101: What are effective ways to
write questions?
9. How to Scaffold Questions: How does scaffolding questions
build on participant success?
10. Knowledge and Comprehension Questions: How
can questions prepare participants to learn? Section III: Learning
11. The
Role of Repetition in Questions: How can questions help participants remember
better?
12. Avoiding Zombie Questions: How do you avoid asking ineffective
questions?
13. Misconceptions About Asking Questions: How can questions
engage all learners?
14. Accountable Talk: How do you help participants to
support their answers?
15. Controlling Questions: How do you use questions to
manage the class? Section IV: Assessing Learning
16. Checking for
Understanding: How do you know all of your participants are learning?
17.
Formative Questioning: Constant checking for understanding that doesnt annoy
18. Pre-Post Test Mindset: How to use Wild Hog Questions as evaluations?
19.
Review and Retrench Questions: What do you do when all of your participants
are not learning?
20. Formal Evaluations: How do you construct accurate
assessment questions?
Benjamin Stewart Johnson is an educational leader and change agent with a mission to help learners learn more by increasing teacher and administrator effectiveness. As Assistant Superintendent, he turned around a school district from being rated Unacceptable to being rated Recognized by the Texas Education Agency in only three years. He has mentored and coached multitudes of school instructional leaders to increase student learning throughout the state of Texas.
