THE ART OF

QUESTIONING
MA. CRISTY L. YU
Master Teacher II
Camp Abelon Elementary School

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD QUESTION

Simple and Clear

Definite
Challenging & thought provoking
Adapted to the age, abilities and interests of the pupils

Requires an extended response

The sequence of the questions should lead to the
development of a particular understanding or
appreciation of ideas.
Patterned on the revised Blooms Taxonomy

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING

1)
Questions should be asked in a natural and
well-modulated voice.
Questions should not thereby block the
pupils thinking.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING
2)

A teacher should ask the question first and then wait for
the class to think about it before calling on a pupil to
answer the question. In this way, everyone has the chance
to think before anyone tries to answer it. Pupils should be
given enough time to formulate the answer. Furthermore,
this technique will keep all the pupils alert. If pupils are
appraised beforehand as to who is to answer the question,
inattention will result.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING
3)

A sufficient number of questions should be

asked to stimulate pupils to activity. There
should be too many questions to the extent
that they require a minimum of thought and
the giving of very short or one-word answers.
Too many questions lead to too much teacher
activity and not enough on the part of the
pupils.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING

4)
A teacher should refrain from repeating
questions. Attention is challenged when questions
are not repeated. However, if for some legitimate
reasons, the pupil did not hear of understand the
question, then, of course, one has to repeat the
question. This technique also applies to repeating
answers. Repeating answers merely wastes time
and encourage inattention.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING

5)
Questions should be evenly distributed so
that the majority of the pupils can take part
in the discussion. A teacher should encourage
all pupils to share in the group thinking.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING
6)

A teacher should avoid resorting to any

mechanical system of fielding questions to the
class, such as by alphabetical order, or row by row.
Pupils catch on this devices, thus resulting to
inattention.

TECHNIQUES OF QUESTIONING

7)
A teacher should ask questions that are
really interesting and thought-provoking.
Leading questions, questions which give
away answers, one-word answer questions,
and the like may result in boredom on the
part of the pupils.

DEVELOPING QUESTIONING SKILLS

Have full control of the pace of questioning and also of
how long you have to stay in one question. It is
necessary that the pupils are given ample time to think
before they are made to answer the question and before
the succeeding question is given.
The opening or focusing question should neither be too
open or broad nor too narrow or specific to allow many
pupils to enter the discussion at the least demanding
cognitive level.

DEVELOPING QUESTIONING SKILLS

Take note of the flow of questions form the low-level
question to the high-level questions;
Bear in mind what question the pupils have to answer
before you follow it up with the high-level question;
Have a purpose for each question and encourage pupil
to understand the purpose;

DEVELOPING QUESTIONING SKILLS

Phrase questions in
individual or group;

the

language

that

suits

the

Develop a conducive classroom climate in which pupils

feel confident to present their ideas and ask their own
questions; and
Facilitate pupils interaction and sharing of ideas with
each other.