Framing Questions
The Missing Think
Rationale …
Most teachers do not
frame questions effectively
How can such a
simple process
be so delightfully
complex??
INSTRUCTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
FRAMING QUESTIONS
ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING
INSTRUCTIONAL INTEGRATION
Instructional Intelligence …
integrates six components
• Provincial Curriculum
• Assessment
• Instruction
• Guided by how kids learn
• Change
• Systemic Change
The instructional component can be classified…
• Concepts: accountability, safety, meaning
• Skills: framing questions, wait time
• Tactics: Place Mat, Numbered Heads, Round Robin,
Fish Bone, One Stray Rest Stay
• Strategies: Concept Formation, Johnsons’ 5 Basic
Elements
• Organizers: Multiple Intelligence, Brain Research,
Gender (Women’s Ways of Knowing)
Everything a teacher does can be
classified into four areas …
• Information provided
• Activities assigned or selected
• Questions asked
• Responses to students efforts
Madeline Hunter
Framing Questions
Instructional
Intelligence
What does history have to say
about framing questions?
John Millar, 1897
• Generally the best way of asking a question is to
address the whole class. Each pupil should understand
that be may be expected to reply. In stating the
question no sign should be shown that would
indicate who is to answer. The main thing is to
secure that every student is held on the alert.
Each question should be given to that student, who,
with due regards to the interests of the class stands in
most need of receiving it. This method has the great
advantage of the teacher to apply a proper distribution
of tests. P. 232 in the book: School Management and
the Principles of Practice and Teaching.
Framing Questions
The Difference
between Asking a
Question and
Framing a Question
How do we increase the chances
students pay attention?
Framing Questions/Requests
• Share with you partner please. What are
endorphins? Be prepared to share your thinking.
• Who can tell me who is the better friend -- the
tree or the boy?
• No hands please, I’ll pick several of you to
respond. What are two explanations as to why
boomerangs return? (After a 10 second wait
time, Marco was selected to respond.
Framing Questions/Requests…continued
• Yesterday we talked about the use of wait time
in asking questions. Could person B in each
group please share why we use it.
• Take 5 seconds and think of the difference
between an instructional skill and an
instructional strategy. One of you will be asked
to share with your group.
• Hands up please … does anyone know how to
solve this equation?
Framing Questions/Requests…continued
• No call outs please. After the question I will give
you 20 seconds; then I will count to three, on
‘three’ put your thumb up if you agree; down if
you disagree; and sideways if you are not sure.
Is this equation balanced correctly?
• What could you predict would happen if we flew
a paper airplane in the space shuttle,
remembering that the shuttle has air pressure
but no gravity?
Framing Questions/requests…Testers
• With your partner, think of what you have to
remember in order to bump the volleyball
effectively. Be prepared to share that
information as your ticket out of the gym.
• Imagine you’re on a survival trek and an
unexpected snow storm occurs. Brainstorm in
your group how you might react to this
situation.
Factors Impacting Questioning
•
•
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•
•
•
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Complexity of Thinking
Academic Engaged Time
Use of Wait Time
Responding to Student Responses
Knowledge of Results
Shifting from Covert to Overt
Fear of Failure
Public vs Private Failure
Distribution of Responses
Accountability and Level of Concern
Bloom’s Taxonomy
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recall
Comprehension/Understanding
Application
Analysis
Evaluation
Synthesis/Creating
Focus on Bloom’s Taxonomy
• Venn Diagrams
• Academic
Controversy
• Mind Map
• Concept Map
• Ranking Ladder
• Concept Attainment
• Concept Formation
• PWIM
•
•
•
•
•
Framing Questions
Jigsaw
Place Mat
Lecture
Johnsons’ 5
Elements
• TGT
• 3 Step Interview
• Think Pair Share
Framing Questions
Assessment
for Learning
… focuses on
how feedback
assists
learning?
Assessment
for Learning
Checking for
Understanding
Mrs Mortleman made sure that everyone
participated in class.
Checking for Understanding
• The other day we talked about how to add
fractions with unlike denominators. Who can
explain how we would do this question on
the board?
• Given what you now know about framing
questions, how would you change this
question to increase the chances students
would all demonstrate they understand?
Checking for Understanding
Might look like …
“On the board you see a math question. Think
about what you need to do to add two
fractions with unlike denominators. Now share
with your partner, I will randomly call on three
of you in about 30 seconds to tell me what you
and your partner talked about.”
Framing Questions
Instructional
Integration
Earlier I mentioned that instructional methods
can be classified…
• Concepts: accountability, safety, meaning
• Skills: framing questions, wait time
• Tactics: Place Mat, Numbered Heads, Round
Robin, Fish Bone, One Stray Rest Stay
• Strategies: Concept Formation, Johnsons’ 5
Basic Elements
• Organizers: Multiple Intelligence, Brain
Research, Gender (Women’s Ways of Knowing)
Creates a Synergy Related to
Impacting Student Achievement
Side A
Side B
Testers
Data Set
1. He stayed up all night studying for a test
so he must be tired right now.
2. It’s been raining all weekend. I bet I
will have to wear boots to school on
Monday.
3. He hides his glasses before every Math
class so he does not have to do the math
test. I think he does not like math.
4. It will probably rain today because
there are a lot of dark clouds.
Data Set
5. I didn’t do my homework so I will
probably get a detention tomorrow.
6. Mom has dark circles under her eyes, she
must be tired.
7. I yelled at the teacher so I think I will
get in trouble when I get home.
8. When Mrs. Jones is away, Robert has a
bad day. Robert likes Mrs. Jones.
Testers: Discuss with Partner
A. John runs 3 kilometres every day; he
must really like running.
B. Our volleyball team won the last 5 games,
they must be pretty good volleyball
players.
C. I never finished my reading. I’ll probably
have to stay after school.
D. Maria studies hard for spelling tests; I
bet she gets 100 percent again on the
next text.
What do you know about questions
and questioning?