High-quality questioning is one of the most powerful tools a teacher can use in the classroom.
It’s not just about getting answers – it’s about driving understanding, uncovering misconceptions and building a culture of thinking and curiosity.
Great questioning allows our teachers to be truly responsive, adapting their teaching in real time to meet pupils’ needs.
This approach is grounded in research, including the work of Barak Rosenshine, who emphasises the importance of checking for understanding and engaging all learners. We go beyond simply asking more questions – we focus on asking better questions.
These techniques include
- Cold Calling: Instead of relying on volunteers, teachers select students to answer questions. This ensures all pupils stay involved and ready to contribute.
- No Opt-Out: When pupils say, “I don’t know,” we don’t let the conversation end. Another student might support with an answer, but we always return to the original child – this builds persistence and confidence.
- Checking for Understanding: Teachers regularly ask several students to explain their thinking. This gives us immediate insight into how well concepts are understood and allows misconceptions to be addressed straight away.
- Probing Questions: We encourage follow-up questions like “Why do you think that?” or “Can you explain further?” to deepen thinking and reasoning.
- Say It Again, But Better: If a student gives a vague answer, we ask them to rephrase or expand it. This promotes clarity and develops oracy.
- Think, Pair, Share: This means students first consider a question individually, then discuss with a partner before sharing with the class. This helps everyone rehearse and refine their thinking.
- Whole-Class Response: Tools like mini-whiteboards give teachers a snapshot of understanding across the room, helping them adapt instruction as needed.
At Ipswich Academy, questioning is more than a strategy – it’s how we ensure every child is actively learning, thinking, and progressing. It’s a vital part of the excellent teaching we are committed to delivering every day.