Questioning to Extend Thinking

1.  “WHAT IF?” INSTEAD OF “WHAT?”--Who, what, when, where questions in past tense are simple recall.  Change to future or conditional tense.  Ask “Why?” instead of “How?”  I wonder why?  What would have happened if. . . ?

2.  PAUSE INSTEAD OF PRAISE--Wait for at least 10 seconds after students answer a question.  Allow them to elaborate, justify or clarify.  Praise tends to stop thinking and produce convergent responses.

3.  DIVERGENT INSTEAD OF CONVERGENT--Ask questions that don’t have right or wrong answers, then give non-judgmental responses.  Let them know that thinking is the goal; the process is more important than the answer. 

4.  ASK LEADING QUESTIONS: 

           In what ways . . .?

           Tell me more. . .

           What evidence do you have . . .?

           How is that like. . . ?  How is that different than. . . ?

           Why do you think . . . ?

           How else could you . . . ?

5.  ASK FOR QUALITY

           Is this your best work?