Chapter 14: The Art of Questioning
❓ Chapter Overview
Welcome to Chapter 14 of your PSTET CDP journey! This chapter explores one of the most powerful tools in a teacher's repertoire—questioning. Effective questioning is at the heart of teaching and learning. It can assess what students know, stimulate their thinking, and deepen their understanding. This chapter will equip you with the knowledge and skills to formulate purposeful questions, understand different question types, and use effective questioning techniques in your classroom.
| Section | Topic | PSTET Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 14.1 | Formulating Appropriate Questions: Purpose of Questions | Very High |
| 14.2 | Types of Questions: Open-ended vs. Closed-ended; Cognitive Levels | Very High |
| 14.3 | Techniques for Effective Questioning in the Classroom | High |
14.1 Formulating Appropriate Questions: Purpose of Questions
🎯 Learning Objectives
After studying this section, you will be able to:
Identify the different purposes of classroom questions
Formulate questions appropriate for each purpose
Align questions with learning goals and student needs
Why Do Teachers Ask Questions?
Teachers ask hundreds of questions every day, making questioning one of the most common classroom activities . But why do we ask so many questions? Understanding the purpose behind your questions is the first step toward asking better ones.
📌 PSTET Key Point: As the NSW Department of Education notes, "Teachers use questioning to gather information about what students know, understand and can do" . This information then informs teaching decisions.
The Four Purposes of Classroom Questions
Based on the PSTET syllabus, questions serve four main purposes in the classroom:
FOUR PURPOSES OF CLASSROOM QUESTIONS: ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 1. ASSESSING READINESS LEVELS │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • What do students already know? │ │ │ │ • Are they prepared for new learning? │ │ │ │ • What prior knowledge can we build upon? │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ 2. ENHANCING LEARNING │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • How can we deepen understanding during learning? │ │ │ │ • What questions stimulate thinking? │ │ │ │ • How can we scaffold new knowledge? │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ 3. PROMOTING CRITICAL THINKING │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • How can we move beyond recall? │ │ │ │ • What questions require analysis and evaluation? │ │ │ │ • How can we develop independent thinkers? │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ 4. ASSESSING LEARNER ACHIEVEMENT │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • Have students met learning outcomes? │ │ │ │ • What have they mastered? │ │ │ │ • What needs further instruction? │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Purpose 1: Assessing Readiness Levels
Before introducing new content, effective teachers assess what students already know. This helps:
Avoid reteaching what students have already mastered
Identify gaps in prerequisite knowledge
Build connections to prior learning
Differentiate instruction based on varying readiness levels
Examples of readiness questions:
| Subject | Readiness Question |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | "What do you already know about fractions? Can you give me an example of when you've used fractions in everyday life?" |
| Science | "What have you noticed about how plants grow? What do you think plants need to survive?" |
| Language Arts | "Have you ever read a story where the main character had to solve a problem? What happened?" |
| Social Studies | "What do you already know about our state's history? What would you like to learn?" |
Purpose 2: Enhancing Learning
During instruction, questions help students engage with and process new information. These questions:
Check understanding as learning progresses
Clarify misconceptions in the moment
Help students make connections
Scaffold thinking from simple to complex
Examples of learning-enhancement questions:
| During... | Ask... |
|---|---|
| Direct instruction | "Can someone explain in their own words what I just described?" |
| Demonstration | "What do you predict will happen next? Why?" |
| Group work | "How did your group arrive at that conclusion?" |
| Reading | "What do you think the author means when they say...?" |
Purpose 3: Promoting Critical Thinking
Critical thinking questions move beyond recall to higher-order thinking. They require students to analyze, evaluate, and create. The University of Waterloo defines critical thinking as:
"Being able to examine an issue by breaking it down, and evaluating it in a conscious manner, while providing arguments/evidence to support the evaluation" .
Generic question stems for critical thinking :
| Critical Thinking Skill | Question Stems |
|---|---|
| Analysis | "What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?" "What is the difference between... and...?" "What is the nature of...?" |
| Evaluation | "Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What evidence supports your answer?" "What is the best... and why?" |
| Synthesis | "What would happen if...?" "How could... be used to...?" "What is a new example of...?" |
| Application | "How does... apply to everyday life?" "How could we solve the problem of...?" |
| Perspective-taking | "What is another way to look at...?" "What is a counterargument for...?" |
Purpose 4: Assessing Learner Achievement
At the end of a lesson, unit, or term, questions determine what students have learned. These assessment questions:
Measure mastery of learning outcomes
Identify areas needing remediation
Provide evidence for grading
Inform future teaching
Examples of achievement assessment questions:
| Type | Question |
|---|---|
| End-of-lesson exit ticket | "Write one thing you learned today and one question you still have." |
| Unit test question | "Explain the water cycle and describe how each stage connects to the next." |
| Performance assessment | "Using what you've learned about persuasive writing, write a letter to the principal arguing for or against our proposed field trip." |
Start with Goals, Not Question Types
Research on teacher training emphasizes a crucial insight: start with goals, not question types . The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers explains:
"This versatility can create confusion for trainees, because some types of questions are more appropriate for certain goals than others. For example, a multiple-choice hinge question might be an effective tool to assess understanding, but a poor tool to extend it" .
The Goal-First Approach:
| Step | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify your goal | "I need to check if students understand the concept of photosynthesis before moving on." |
| 2 | Determine what information you need | "I need to know if they grasp the key elements: sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, glucose." |
| 3 | Choose question type that fits the goal | "A multiple-choice question with carefully designed distractors will reveal misconceptions efficiently." |
| 4 | Formulate the question | "Which of the following is a product of photosynthesis? a) Carbon dioxide b) Water c) Glucose d) Sunlight" |
Planning Questions in Advance
Effective questioning doesn't happen by accident. Research emphasizes that:
"To be effective, questions must be planned before the lesson begins. Questions should be aligned to the key learning of the lesson, and the learning intentions and success criteria" .
Questions to ask when planning:
| Planning Question | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| What are my learning intentions? | What should students know or be able to do by the end? |
| What prior knowledge do students need? | What readiness questions should I ask? |
| Where might students struggle? | What scaffolding questions will help? |
| How will I check understanding? | What formative assessment questions will I use? |
| How will I extend thinking? | What higher-order questions will challenge students? |
| How will I know they've learned? | What summative questions will assess achievement? |
🏫 PSTET Classroom Application
| Purpose | Question Stems | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Assessing readiness | "What do you already know about...?" "Have you ever...?" "What comes to mind when you hear...?" | Beginning of lesson or unit |
| Enhancing learning | "Can you explain that in your own words?" "What do you think will happen next?" "How did you figure that out?" | During instruction |
| Promoting critical thinking | "What would happen if...?" "Do you agree or disagree? Why?" "What is another way to look at this?" | Throughout, especially after basic understanding |
| Assessing achievement | "Explain how..." "Apply what you've learned to..." "What have you learned about...?" | End of lesson or unit |
📝 PSTET Practice Question (Formulating Questions)
Q1. Before beginning a unit on fractions, a teacher asks students, "What do you already know about fractions? Can you give an example of when you've used fractions in everyday life?" What is the primary purpose of these questions?
a) To assess learner achievement at the end of the unit
b) To assess students' readiness levels for new learning
c) To promote critical thinking about fractions
d) To enhance learning during instruction
Answer: b) To assess students' readiness levels for new learning
14.2 Types of Questions: Open-ended vs. Closed-ended; Questions for Different Cognitive Levels
🎯 Learning Objectives
After studying this section, you will be able to:
Distinguish between open-ended and closed-ended questions
Identify questions at different cognitive levels using Bloom's Taxonomy
Select appropriate question types for different purposes
The Two Main Question Types: Open vs. Closed
At the most basic level, questions can be categorized as either open-ended or closed-ended.
OPEN VS. CLOSED QUESTIONS: ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ CLOSED QUESTIONS OPEN QUESTIONS │ │ ┌──────────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • Single correct │ │ • Multiple possible │ │ │ │ answer │ │ answers │ │ │ │ • Often recall or │ │ • Require explanation│ │ │ │ comprehension │ │ • Promote discussion │ │ │ │ • Quick to answer │ │ • Take more time │ │ │ │ • Easy to assess │ │ • Harder to assess │ │ │ └──────────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ Examples: Examples: │ │ "What is 5 + 7?" "How many ways can │ │ "Who wrote the you make 12?" │ │ Ramayana?" "Why do you think │ │ "Is this a mammal?" the author chose this │ │ ending?" │ │ "What might happen if │ │ we changed one │ │ variable?" │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Closed-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions have a single correct answer. They are useful for:
Checking basic knowledge and recall
Quick assessment of understanding
Establishing facts before deeper discussion
Efficient whole-class response (e.g., with mini-whiteboards)
Research finding: A study of secondary agricultural science teachers found that closed-type questions were the most common (37%) of questions asked during inquiry-based instruction .
Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions have multiple possible answers and require explanation. They are useful for:
Encouraging extended thinking
Promoting discussion and debate
Revealing student reasoning
Developing communication skills
The open/closed misconception: Teacher trainers warn against a common misconception—"the idea that open questions are good and closed questions are bad, regardless of context" . Both types have their place, depending on your goal.
Questions Across Cognitive Levels: Bloom's Taxonomy
A more sophisticated way to categorize questions is by the level of thinking they require. Bloom's Taxonomy provides a framework for understanding cognitive levels .
BLOOM'S TAXONOMY - COGNITIVE LEVELS: ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ HIGHER-ORDER THINKING │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ CREATE │ Generate new ideas, products, ways │ │ │ │ EVALUATE │ Justify, defend, judge, critique │ │ │ │ ANALYZE │ Differentiate, organize, attribute │ │ │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ APPLY │ Execute, implement, use in new contexts │ │ │ │ UNDERSTAND│ Explain, describe, give examples │ │ │ │ REMEMBER │ Recall, list, define, identify │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ LOWER-ORDER THINKING │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Question Stems for Each Cognitive Level
Based on Bloom's Taxonomy, here are question stems for each level :
Level 1: Remembering (Lower-Order)
Questions that require recall of facts, terms, and basic concepts.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "What is...?" | "What is the capital of Punjab?" |
| "Who was...?" | "Who wrote the National Anthem?" |
| "Define..." | "Define the term 'photosynthesis'." |
| "List..." | "List three states of matter." |
| "Identify..." | "Identify the main character in the story." |
Level 2: Understanding (Lower-Order)
Questions that require explaining ideas or concepts.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "Explain in your own words..." | "Explain in your own words what the water cycle is." |
| "What is the main idea of...?" | "What is the main idea of this paragraph?" |
| "Give an example of..." | "Give an example of a mammal that lives in water." |
| "Summarize..." | "Summarize what happened in the story so far." |
| "Describe..." | "Describe how a plant uses sunlight to make food." |
Level 3: Applying (Middle-Order)
Questions that require using knowledge in new situations.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "How would you use...?" | "How would you use what you learned about fractions to double this recipe?" |
| "What would happen if...?" | "What would happen to plants if there was no sunlight for a week?" |
| "Solve this problem using..." | "Solve this problem using the method we just learned." |
| "Demonstrate..." | "Demonstrate how you would measure the length of this table." |
| "How is... related to...?" | "How is multiplication related to addition?" |
Level 4: Analyzing (Higher-Order)
Questions that require breaking information into parts to explore relationships.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "What are the parts of...?" | "What are the different parts of a plant, and what does each do?" |
| "How does... compare to...?" | "How does life in a village compare to life in a city?" |
| "What is the difference between...?" | "What is the difference between a fact and an opinion?" |
| "What is the theme of...?" | "What is the theme of this story, and how do you know?" |
| "What evidence supports...?" | "What evidence in the text supports the idea that the character was brave?" |
Level 5: Evaluating (Higher-Order)
Questions that require justifying decisions or judgments.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "Do you agree with...? Why or why not?" | "Do you agree with the character's decision to leave home? Why or why not?" |
| "What is the best...? Defend your answer." | "What is the best way to solve this environmental problem? Defend your answer." |
| "Judge the value of..." | "Judge the value of using plastic bags versus paper bags." |
| "Which is more important...? Why?" | "Which is more important for good health—diet or exercise? Why?" |
| "Critique..." | "Critique this solution. What are its strengths and weaknesses?" |
Level 6: Creating (Highest-Order)
Questions that require generating new ideas, products, or ways of thinking.
| Question Stem | Example |
|---|---|
| "How would you design...?" | "How would you design a school garden that could feed 50 students?" |
| "What would you invent to...?" | "What would you invent to help people conserve water at home?" |
| "Create a new way to..." | "Create a new way to help younger students learn multiplication facts." |
| "Write a story about..." | "Write a story about a world where water is extremely scarce." |
| "Develop a plan to..." | "Develop a plan to reduce waste in our school." |
Research on Question Types in Classrooms
A study of secondary agricultural science teachers using inquiry-based instruction revealed important findings about classroom questioning :
| Finding | Percentage | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Closed-type questions | 37% of all questions | Most common type; useful for checking basic understanding |
| Knowledge-level questions | Nearly 59% of all questions | Overwhelming majority at lowest cognitive level |
| Analysis-level questions | Only 9.33% | Least utilized category |
| Higher cognitive level questions | Limited overall | Teachers asked few questions requiring higher-order thinking |
📌 PSTET Key Point: The researchers concluded: "Secondary agricultural science teachers are recommended to consider the cognition level of questions they develop for classroom discussion. Teachers should also consider student needs and prior knowledge when formulating questions and learning objectives. When teachers understand and apply the best strategies of questioning to their teaching, students will learn at higher levels of thought" .
Matching Question Type to Purpose
Different question types serve different purposes. This table helps you choose :
| Purpose | Best Question Types | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Check prior knowledge | Closed, Remember-level | "What do we call the process by which plants make food?" |
| Check understanding during lesson | Hinge questions (multiple-choice with well-designed distractors) | "Which of the following is NOT required for photosynthesis? a) Sunlight b) Water c) Soil d) Carbon dioxide" |
| Extend thinking | Open, Analyze/Evaluate-level | "What might happen to the ecosystem if all plants stopped producing oxygen?" |
| Assess achievement | Mix of levels, aligned to learning outcomes | Questions ranging from recall to application to evaluation |
| Engage all students | Mix of closed (quick response) and open (discussion) | Start with closed to check basic understanding, then open to deepen |
Designing Better Multiple-Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions are often criticized for only assessing recall, but they can assess higher-order thinking when designed well .
Strategies for higher-order multiple-choice questions :
| Strategy | Example |
|---|---|
| Provide a detailed prompt or scenario, then ask multiple questions | Present a short case study about an environmental problem, then ask questions about causes, effects, and solutions |
| Provide a visual or graphic prompt and have students predict or interpret | Show a graph of temperature changes over time; ask what the graph predicts about future trends |
| Ask students to identify the theoretical construct or principle | Present an example and ask which psychological principle it illustrates |
| Provide response options that represent the correct answer AND why it's correct | "Which answer correctly identifies the problem AND provides the best solution?" |
| Use well-designed distractors that reveal misconceptions | Each wrong answer represents a common error in thinking |
🏫 PSTET Classroom Application
| If you want to... | Use... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Quickly check if students remember a fact | Closed, Remember-level | "What is 8 × 7?" |
| See if students understand a concept | Open, Understand-level | "Explain in your own words what multiplication means." |
| Have students use knowledge in a new context | Apply-level | "If one book costs ₹50, how much would 8 books cost?" |
| Develop critical thinking | Analyze/Evaluate-level | "Compare buying 8 books individually versus buying a set. Which is better value? Why?" |
| Encourage creativity | Create-level | "Design a word problem that requires multiplication to solve." |
📝 PSTET Practice Question (Question Types)
Q2. A teacher asks students, "What do you predict will happen to the bean seed we planted if we don't water it for a week? Why do you think that?" This question requires thinking at which level of Bloom's Taxonomy?
a) Remembering
b) Understanding
c) Applying
d) Analyzing
Answer: c) Applying (Students must apply their knowledge of what plants need to survive to predict outcomes in a new situation)
14.3 Techniques for Effective Questioning in the Classroom
🎯 Learning Objectives
After studying this section, you will be able to:
Implement research-based questioning techniques
Use wait time effectively
Ensure all students participate in questioning
Respond to student answers in ways that extend learning
What Makes Questioning Effective?
Effective questioning is an explicit teaching strategy that teachers use to monitor learning and engage all students in thinking . Research has identified several techniques that make questioning more effective.
📌 PSTET Key Point: "Questioning is a responsive technique with teachers using prompts, probing and follow up questions to maximise student thinking and engagement, while providing feedback on responses" .
Technique 1: Plan Questions in Advance
Effective questioning begins before the lesson even starts.
| What to Plan | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Key questions aligned to learning intentions | Ensures questions serve your goals |
| Questions at different cognitive levels | Provides appropriate challenge for all students |
| Questions that check for understanding | Allows you to monitor learning in real time |
| Questions that extend thinking | Pushes students beyond basic understanding |
| Questions for different purposes | Readiness, enhancing, critical thinking, achievement |
Technique 2: Use Wait Time
Wait time refers to the pause after asking a question before expecting a response. Research shows that:
| Wait Time Practice | Typical Outcome |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 second | Shallow answers; only fastest students respond |
| 3-5 seconds | More students participate; answers are longer and more thoughtful |
| After a student responds | Student elaborates; other students add ideas |
Asking questions that are not sufficiently planned or reflected on
Asking students to simply recall information rather than getting them to think deeper
Asking questions that are too easy or challenging to meet the various needs of learners
Not providing enough wait time for students to process, think and then respond
Technique 3: Use "Cold Calling" Rather Than Volunteers
Research shows that relying on volunteers creates problems:
| Problem with Volunteers | Solution with Cold Calling |
|---|---|
| Same few students answer all questions | All students must be ready to respond |
| Quiet students never participate | Every student stays engaged |
| Teacher doesn't know what non-volunteers understand | Teacher gets accurate picture of class understanding |
| Students can "hide" and not think | All students process every question |
How to cold call effectively:
Ask the question, pause (wait time), THEN call on a student
Use a random system (name sticks, cards, app) so students can't predict who's next
Create a safe environment where wrong answers are learning opportunities
Follow up with "What do others think?" to continue discussion
Research insight: Teacher trainers found that "not asking for volunteers is easier in theory than in practice." Trainees avoided asking for volunteers at higher rates when selecting a question than when writing one from scratch, showing that creating this habit requires practice .
Technique 4: Use Hinge Questions to Check Understanding
Hinge questions are questions asked at a critical point in a lesson (the "hinge") to check whether students understand enough to move on.
Characteristics of effective hinge questions :
Asked at the point where you need to decide whether to move on or review
All students respond (mini-whiteboards, voting cards, clickers)
Responses reveal understanding (or misconceptions)
Teacher can see at a glance who understands and who doesn't
Example hinge question:
After teaching the concept of area, you might ask: "Which of these rectangles has an area of 24 square centimeters? A) 6 cm by 3 cm B) 8 cm by 4 cm C) 12 cm by 2 cm D) 5 cm by 5 cm"
Students show answers on whiteboards. You immediately see if most understand, and can address misconceptions with those who don't.
Technique 5: Use Probing and Follow-up Questions
When a student answers, don't just accept it and move on. Use follow-up questions to deepen thinking.
| Follow-up Technique | Example |
|---|---|
| Ask for elaboration | "Tell me more about that." "Can you explain your thinking?" |
| Ask for evidence | "What evidence supports your answer?" "How do you know that?" |
| Ask for clarification | "What do you mean when you say...?" "Can you rephrase that?" |
| Ask for connection | "How does that connect to what we learned yesterday?" |
| Challenge thinking | "What if someone disagreed? What would they say?" |
| Ask others to respond | "What do others think about that idea?" |
Technique 6: Ensure All Students Participate
Effective questioning techniques create high engagement classroom environments which improve student achievement .
Strategies for full participation:
| Strategy | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Think-Pair-Share | All students think individually, discuss with a partner, then share with class |
| Mini-whiteboards | All students write answers and hold them up |
| Response cards | Students hold up cards (A, B, C, D) to answer multiple-choice questions |
| Cold calling | Any student may be called on; all must be ready |
| No hands up | Teacher chooses who answers; students don't raise hands |
| Random selection | Use name sticks, cards, or an app to call on students randomly |
Technique 7: Create a Safe Environment for Wrong Answers
Students will only take cognitive risks if they feel safe. Research emphasizes that:
"When teachers understand and apply the best strategies of questioning to their teaching, students will learn at higher levels of thought" .
Creating safety:
| Instead of... | Try... |
|---|---|
| "No, that's wrong" | "Interesting thinking. Let's explore that idea further." |
| Moving on quickly | "What makes you say that?" (to understand their reasoning) |
| Only praising correct answers | "I appreciate how you're thinking about this problem." |
| Letting students feel embarrassed | "Mistakes help us learn. What can we learn from this?" |
| Focusing on who's right | Focusing on what we can figure out together |
Technique 8: Sequence Questions to Scaffold Learning
Effective teachers don't just ask random questions—they sequence them to build understanding.
Scaffolding sequence example:
| Question | Purpose |
|---|---|
| "What do we call the process by which plants make food?" | Recall basic term |
| "Explain in your own words what happens during photosynthesis." | Check understanding |
| "If a plant didn't get enough sunlight, what would happen to its ability to photosynthesize? Why?" | Apply knowledge to new situation |
| "Compare how a plant in a rainforest versus a plant in a desert might adapt its photosynthesis process." | Analyze and compare |
| "Do you think artificial light could replace sunlight for growing plants? Defend your answer with evidence." | Evaluate and justify |
Technique 9: Use Questions to Address Misconceptions
Well-designed questions can reveal and address misconceptions.
Example from science :
A multiple-choice question about photosynthesis might include:
"Which of the following is a product of photosynthesis?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Water
c) Glucose
d) Sunlight"
Each distractor reveals a misconception:
Choosing a) indicates confusion about inputs vs. outputs
Choosing b) indicates same confusion
Choosing d) indicates misunderstanding that sunlight is energy, not a product
Technique 10: Reflect on Your Questioning Practice
Effective teachers continuously improve their questioning.
Questions for self-reflection:
Did my questions align with my learning intentions?
Did I use a mix of question types and cognitive levels?
Did I provide enough wait time?
Did all students participate, or just a few?
Did my follow-up questions extend thinking?
What would I do differently next time?
The Artful Dance of Questioning
As one expert describes, effective questioning is:
"An artful dance between planned and spontaneous questioning, always aiming to stimulate children's minds in engaged, meaningful, and joyful ways" .
🏫 PSTET Classroom Application: Quick Reference
| Technique | How to Implement | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Plan questions | Write key questions in lesson plans | Ensures alignment with goals |
| Wait time | Pause 3-5 seconds after asking | More thoughtful responses |
| Cold calling | Ask question, pause, then name student | All students stay engaged |
| Hinge questions | Check understanding at critical points | Know whether to move on |
| Probing | Follow up with "Why?" "How do you know?" "Tell me more" | Deepens thinking |
| All-student response | Whiteboards, response cards, think-pair-share | Everyone participates |
| Safe environment | Value thinking, not just correct answers | Students take risks |
| Scaffolding | Sequence from simple to complex | Builds understanding |
| Address misconceptions | Design questions that reveal errors | Targets teaching |
| Reflection | Analyze your own questioning practice | Continuous improvement |
📝 PSTET Practice Question (Questioning Techniques)
Q3. A teacher asks a question, waits 3 seconds, and then calls on a student. After the student answers, the teacher waits another 3 seconds before responding. This technique is called:
a) Cold calling
b) Wait time
c) Hinge questioning
d) Scaffolding
Answer: b) Wait time
🔑 Chapter Summary for PSTET Revision
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ CHAPTER 14: QUICK REVISION │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ │ │ FOUR PURPOSES OF QUESTIONS │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ 1. Assessing readiness levels (what students know) │ │ │ │ 2. Enhancing learning (during instruction) │ │ │ │ 3. Promoting critical thinking (higher-order thinking) │ │ │ │ 4. Assessing achievement (what was learned) │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ QUESTION TYPES │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ CLOSED: Single correct answer; recall/comprehension │ │ │ │ OPEN: Multiple possible answers; explanation needed │ │ │ │ BOTH have their place depending on goal │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ BLOOM'S TAXONOMY - COGNITIVE LEVELS │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ REMEMBER: Recall facts │ │ │ │ UNDERSTAND: Explain ideas │ │ │ │ APPLY: Use in new situations │ │ │ │ ANALYZE: Break down, find relationships │ │ │ │ EVALUATE: Judge, justify, defend │ │ │ │ CREATE: Generate new ideas/products │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ RESEARCH FINDINGS │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • 59% of classroom questions at lowest cognitive level │ │ │ │ • Closed questions most common (37%) │ │ │ │ • Analysis-level questions least used (9.33%) │ │ │ │ • Teachers should consider cognition level when │ │ │ │ planning questions │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ KEY TECHNIQUES │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ • Plan questions in advance │ │ │ │ • Use wait time (3-5 seconds) │ │ │ │ • Cold calling (not just volunteers) │ │ │ │ • Hinge questions to check understanding │ │ │ │ • Probing and follow-up questions │ │ │ │ • All-student response strategies │ │ │ │ • Create safe environment for wrong answers │ │ │ │ • Sequence questions to scaffold learning │ │ │ │ • Address misconceptions through questioning │ │ │ │ • Reflect on your practice │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ │ MNEMONIC: "P-R-A-C-T-I-C-E" │ │ P - Plan questions in advance │ │ R - Respect wait time │ │ A - All students participate │ │ C - Cold calling │ │ T - Think about cognitive levels │ │ I - Invite follow-up and probing │ │ C - Create safe environment │ │ E - Evaluate and reflect │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
✅ Self-Assessment Checklist
Tick (✓) when you can confidently:
Identify the four purposes of classroom questions
Formulate questions appropriate for each purpose
Distinguish between open-ended and closed-ended questions
Create questions at each level of Bloom's Taxonomy
Explain why both open and closed questions have value
Describe research findings on question types in classrooms
Implement wait time effectively
Use cold calling rather than relying on volunteers
Design hinge questions to check understanding
Use probing and follow-up questions to deepen thinking
Ensure all students participate in questioning
Create a safe environment for student responses
Sequence questions to scaffold learning
Answer PSTET-level questions on all topics
📝 Practice Questions for PSTET
Q4. A study of secondary agricultural science teachers found that nearly 59% of questions asked were at which cognitive level?
a) Analysis
b) Application
c) Knowledge (Remembering)
d) Evaluation
Answer: c) Knowledge (Remembering)
Q5. Which of the following is an example of a "hinge question"?
a) "What did you learn today?"
b) A question asked at a critical point in the lesson where all students respond, revealing whether they understand enough to move on
c) "Does anyone have any questions?"
d) A rhetorical question that doesn't require an answer
Answer: b) A question asked at a critical point in the lesson where all students respond, revealing whether they understand enough to move on
Q6. According to teacher training research, what is a common misconception about open and closed questions?
a) Closed questions are always better for assessment
b) Open questions are good and closed questions are bad, regardless of context
c) Open questions should never be used with young children
d) Closed questions cannot assess understanding
Answer: b) Open questions are good and closed questions are bad, regardless of context
Q7. A teacher asks, "Do you agree with the character's decision to leave home? Defend your answer with evidence from the story." This question requires thinking at which level of Bloom's Taxonomy?
a) Remembering
b) Understanding
c) Applying
d) Evaluating
Answer: d) Evaluating (Requires judgment and justification)
Q8. Research on wait time suggests that teachers should pause for approximately how long after asking a question?
a) Less than 1 second
b) 3-5 seconds
c) 10-15 seconds
d) At least 30 seconds
Q9. Which strategy ensures that all students participate in responding to questions rather than just a few volunteers?
a) Calling only on students with their hands raised
b) Using cold calling and all-student response techniques
c) Asking only open-ended questions
d) Allowing students to choose whether to respond
Answer: b) Using cold calling and all-student response techniques
Q10. According to the NSW Department of Education, to be effective, questions must be:
a) Spontaneous and unplanned to seem natural
b) Planned before the lesson begins and aligned to learning intentions
c) Always open-ended for maximum thinking
d) Asked only at the end of the lesson
Answer: b) Planned before the lesson begins and aligned to learning intentions
📚 References for Further Reading
Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning. (2025). Creating Multiple Choice Questions that Assess Higher Order Thinking. University of Saskatchewan
National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers. (2025). Proxima: Three ways to help trainees ask better questions
Abdul Latir, S.S., & Whittington, M.S. (2019). Types and cognitive levels of questions asked by secondary agricultural science teachers. 5th International Conference on Educational Research and Practice
University of Waterloo Centre for Teaching Excellence. (2026). Promoting and Assessing Critical Thinking
NSW Department of Education. (2026). Using effective questioning
Grymes, J. (2024). Effectively using different question types within Bloom's Taxonomy. Continued.com
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education Principles Policy and Practice
Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded formative assessment. Solution Tree Press
Congratulations! You have completed all 14 chapters of the PSTET CDP book. You now have a comprehensive understanding of child development, learning theories, individual differences, inclusive education, assessment, and effective teaching practices. Good luck with your PSTET preparation!
