Teaching is a profession where it’s very common for teachers to use different kinds of questions in the classroom for different purposes. Imagine if the teacher doesn’t ask questions in the classroom, it’s like creating a monument without setting up the base properly.
There are two purposes for which teacher uses various kinds of questions in the classroom-
- To understand student’s understanding and provide them with corrective feedback.
- To invite students to dialogue so that they can have a better understanding of themselves and their academic progress. It also helps them to make a deeper understanding of their learning content.
However, every teacher must find the right balance to cater to any of the purposes in the classroom for a better learning journey for students. In this blog post, we will be sharing some of the effective ways to improve questioning skills, so that you can teach effectively and improve the learning journey of students.
What is Questioning Skill?
Questioning skill is one of the essential skills that every teacher needs to have. It helps teachers to ask the right questions at the same time in the classroom. With the right questioning skills, teachers can ask purposeful, thoughtful, and relevant questions to students.
By observing students’ responses, you can get immediate feedback about them which can help you to understand whether they have understood your taught lesson or concept properly or not.
Importance of Questioning Skills For Teachers
Source: collidu.com
Let’s get to know how questioning skills can benefit teachers:
Proper Assessment of Student’s Understanding
With the help of question skills, teachers can help you to identify areas of improvement for every student. You can provide the required assistance or support to every student individually so that they understand those lessons or concepts that you have taught.
Opportunity For Instant Feedback
The skill set of questioning can help you gain immediate feedback about the effectiveness of your teaching skills and a clear understanding of students’ comprehension levels. This helps you create a progressive environment for your students where they can reflect on their learning journey and deal with their challenges confidently in their learning journey.
Create an Inclusive Classroom Environment
You can build trust and openness by asking engaging questions and encouraging active student engagement. Ensure that a varied range of opinions are heard, creating an inclusive and respectful classroom environment.
Positive Teacher-Student Relationships
You can use your inquiry skills to connect authentically with students and understand their individual needs and viewpoints. This not only improves rapport but also lays the foundation for an understanding and supportive teacher-student connection.
Proper Syllabus Coverage
Identify and address any bottlenecks early on using strategic questioning to ensure the syllabus is covered efficiently. This proactive strategy promotes a well-paced and thorough learning experience.
Ignite Curiosity Within Students
Create curiosity-inspiring questions that encourage active engagement with the topic matter. This method transforms teachings into engaging experiences that leave an indelible impression on students’ attention and comprehension.
Importance of Questioning Skills For Students
For students as well, the questions can play a vital role in their learning process. It makes learning fun and interesting for them rather than a dull experience. Questions prompts make the students improve their critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills. It also allows them to discuss related to any lesson or concept in the group.
For example- Suppose you are teaching a history lesson and you have asked your students instead When did that war take place? You can ask them what was the after-effects of that war. This could create a good opportunity for students to have a lively discussion.
Helpful Strategies To Develop Questioning Skills
Now, you have an understanding of question skills and how important it is for both teachers and students. Let’s get to know some of the effective ways that you can develop your questioning skills-
Invest in Professional Development Course
Always look for training, workshops, or webinars related to the topic of improving questioning skills and techniques. They will provide you with really easy-to-implement practical methods.
Observe and Learn
Find out some of the expert educators who have achieved mastery of questioning skills, observe them ask for being mentored by them to gain expertise like them.
Learn & Study By Yourself
There are plenty of resources available in the form of articles, blogs, or books related to how you can improve your questioning skills. Learn from them and implement them in real-time.
Implement Your Learning
No matter how much you much knowledge you have acquired, it will be of no use until and unless you have implemented it in your classroom. Try to implement different learned techniques related to questioning skills and observe which methods and techniques improve student’s learning experience and understanding.
Final Thought
Teachers hold the power to make the learning experience of students better and help their comprehension skills. You can achieve this by improving your questioning skills and implementing it in your classroom. Go through the above-mentioned strategies to improve your questioning skills and inspire your students to fall in love with their learning process.
If you are seeking to learn more innovative and latest teaching methods, then consider pursuing courses like Online Pre and Primary Teacher Training Courses in Vietnam, where you will get guidance from top expert trainers.
