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Elementary Science

Asking the Right Questions

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Brooklyn Forsgren Brooklyn Forsgren 180 Points

Hello,

I am a preservice teacher taking a course in science education. I have learned that students often learn best through hands-on activities and experimentation. This allows them to find the 'why' behind theories and scientific facts. I have also learned that when students make a mistake or their data/ findings are wrong, teachers should not simply shoot them down per se, but should instead ask questions to help them think in a different way. My question is: how do I, as a teacher, know the right questions to ask to guide my students to finding the right answer?
Carolyn Mohr Carolyn Mohr 92246 Points

Hi Brooklyn,

You hit on a biggie!  I will have to admit that I got better at asking the 'right' questions with a few years of experience under my belt.  There are a lot of great resources to help you now, too.  For example, this artice (https://common.nsta.org/resource/?id=10.2505/4/sc08_046_02_54) 'Perspectives: The Art (and Science) of Asking Questions' in Science and Children (Oct. 2008) has some great suggestions. Besides asking open-ended questions, the authors suggest that you consider asking attention-getting questions and questions that ask students to compare or measure.  If they are studying a particular phenomenon, you could tap into their prior knowledge by asking them if they can explain what is happening.  The article is an excellent place to start.  Also, I always keep a Bloom's taxonomy of questions stems handy to help me frame higher level thinking questions to ask my students. 

After you have read the article, come back and let me know if that was helpful.  I can look for some more great resources in the Learning Center library for you to check out.

Good luck in your teaching this year!

Best,

Carolyn Mohr

Senior Online Advisor and Adjunct Science Methods Instructor
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