Chapter 5 Why Ask? Questioning Strategies in the Classroom

Questioning Strategies in the Classroom

Questions are a good way to help students with comprehension. I think of questioning as a way for teachers to assess,  then evaluate the students level of comprehension with the text. Questions can also be viewed as a motivational tool. From my experience of observing, students tend to enjoy open ended questions that allow them to answer using their own opinions. Probing questions can also help students to figure out for themselves the material that they already know and the information that is still unclear.

Teachers can use any kind of questions to get students thinking about the text but,the right kinds of questions can lead to  a greater depth of understanding. The most effective questions that  are the ones  that lead to a higher order of thinking. It may be easier for the teacher to ask simple questions in order to see if the student knows the content. The harder questions force students to  analyze the text and make inferences based on the material. Although the higher order questions may be termed as more difficult they help the students to develop critical thinking skills.

If done correctly higher order thinking questions will create a problem or situation that require the student to investigate and solve. The type of questions can lead to a hands on activity where the student may be required to pick a part text in search of context clues and supporting evidence. It gives the students an opportunity to reflect on their own thought process and interpret meanings of the reading. A teacher who ask the right questions could get some interesting perspectives and ideas from the class that could lead to future discussions.

My famous quote from the text is  “Unfortunately many students have little practice in answering implicit questions and may be ill-equipped to formulate and respond to questions requiring critical thinking.” (p. 81)

Chapter 7 Getting it Down: Making and Taking Notes Across the Curriculum

Famous Quote from the chapter “Taking good notes train students not only to pay attention but what to pay attention to. It teaches then to evaluate the importance of information and the relationship between different pieces of information.”

 I believe that note taking is beneficial to the writer and therefore should reflect the way that individual process information. If I could pose a question to the author about the chapter I would ask: How can teachers find extra time to teach multiple note taking strategies without conforming students to just one method?

As a student I do not remember being taught how to take notes. I think that most teachers assumed that students knew what to do. I do remember needing to take notes in some college history courses. One of my worst experiences was when a history professor gave no study guides, outlines, or copies of power points, but He required students to take notes and study for test. He came to class spitting out facts and flipping through slides at a record pace. I spent most of my time writing and flipping through my notebook I rarely looked up at the pictures or maps.

My most positive experience came from another history course. Although the professor did not give any outlines or power points, he did write the terms and dates on the board before class and listed each term in a sequential order. This helped me to keep my notes organized and to provide a heading for new topics. This method made it easier for me to study and flip through my notes when looking for information.