Follow-up tasks before October 19th
1. “Observe” yourself in one or more classes over the next week, specifically focusing on your questioning style (choice/product/process/metaprocess). Try to estimate the proportion of each.
2. Write a brief blog post about what you observe, reflecting on how you could incorporate a more varied questioning style into your teaching – and whether you need to.
3. Read TWO colleagues’ blog posts and comment on one (or more, if you like). Practice using the “Powerful Questions”, especially those in the “Discovering opportunities”, “Planning”, and “Facing obstacles” sections.
Reflection on My Questioning Style: A Week of Observation
ReplyDeleteOver the past week, I observed my questioning techniques in the classroom, focusing on the balance between display questions (where I know the answer) and referential questions (where I do not). My basic idea was that the proportion depends on the level of the students and their communicative abilities.
A key moment was a lesson built around the video on how to make an omelet. I structured the questioning deliberately: I began with a series of display questions to check for basic comprehension ("How many eggs did he use?" "What ingredients did he use?", "What was the first step she took?" "How many times did he turn the omelette over?"). As expected, students provided answers readily, and this phase lasted only a few minutes. It successfully established a common understanding and built confidence.
Then I shifted to referential questions ("Do you think that looks tasty? Why (not)?", "Is this how you make an omelette?", "Do you think you could make an omelette now? Why (not)?", "What would you do differently if you were cooking for a friend?", "Why do you think the pan's temperature is so crucial?", "Describe a time you tried to cook something and it failed—what did you learn?"). The shift in the room was palpable. The rapid answers stopped. Instead, I was met with thoughtful silence, followed by students carefully formulating their ideas. So I gave them some time to work in pairs, prepare and share their responses.
This experience underscored a critical insight: the cognitive and communicative demand of referential questions is significantly higher. For some students, particularly those with lower language proficiency or confidence, these open-ended questions were "hard work." They had to search their vocabulary, structure their thoughts, and take a risk with a personal opinion. For them, the initial display questions felt like a safe and "just right" challenge.
This has led me to a more nuanced conclusion about the proportion of display versus referential questions in my classroom.
• Display Questions (~60-70% in mixed-level classes) serve as the essential foundation. They build confidence, ensure baseline understanding, and are accessible to all learners.
• Referential Questions (~30-40%) are the goal, but they require careful support. The time investment is not a sign of failure, but of deeper cognitive engagement.
Alisa, this is such a great example of the benefits of both types of questions. Establishing "common understanding" and building confidence are essential - and an essential stage in scaffolding the deeper, more challenging work of risk taking, cognitive engagement, and developing complexity. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteResonates a lot with what I have found out about my classes. I believe, I should try harder and incorporate more of those referential questions working with lower level groups..
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ReplyDeleteI tried to “observe” myself in one class that week, focusing on the questioning style. Last week we were discussing topics connected with family and relationships between relatives (for example, teenagers and their parents). According to qualification that was given in the task, I used mostly choice and product questions. For example, to revise the vocabulary on this topic I started with product questions, like "How do we call a mother's / brother's brother / sister?", or "What's the meaning of 'stepsister' / 'half-sister', etc.?", or "What's the difference between 'immediate family' and 'extended family'?" These type of display questions allow to control knowledge of the necessary lexis.
DeleteThen, after doing some listening and reading tasks in the textbook, I gave my students several referential questions, like "How often do you have a meal / go out with your family / siblings / parents?", or "Are there any members of your family who you have very little contact with? Why?", or "Do you spend more of your free time with family or friends? Why?", etc. These type of questions encourage students to use their own thoughts and experiences.
If we talk about process and metaprocess questions, I always use them while discussing grammar with students (like, "Why do we need Present Perfect here?", or "What are the reasons for using Present Continuous here instead of "be going to'?").
To sum up, I would say that using of different types of questions depends on the purpose of the lesson, on the topic and on the focus of the lesson (grammar, lexis, communication, etc.). And, of course, the level of students is of great importance.
P.S. I'd be happy to listen to my colleagues to incorporate a more varied questioning style into my teaching.
Yulia, thanks for sharing! I'm going to challenge you a little on your examples of process and metaprocess questions: When you ask "Why do we need Present Perfect here?", do YOU know the answer? :) Of course, you do, because you have spent years mastering not only the use but also the functions of tense & aspect in English. So what might a process question related to language choice look like - one where you truly do not know what answer the students might give? I have to admit, I'm struggling a bit to find a good example myself, but one might be a communicative activity (like "Find someone who...?") in which the students ask things like "Do you play video games?" and if their partner does, they have to follow up with questions such as "How long have you played/been playing?" - and then report their answers. Any errors they make in reporting (like "She plays video games for ten years.") opens up an opportunity for a process question ("Why did you say 'plays'?") Again, you probably DO know the source of the error, but you may know not why the students THINKS it's correct...
DeleteWhat do you think?
1) I will try to be short, but it's really hard when it comes to teaching, my everyday hobby/work/air I breathe(?)
ReplyDeleteI've mentioned before that I perhaps even overemphasize the value of referential questions in every stage of my lessons, but this time I wanted to reflect on my teaching practices, specifically focusing on the types of questions I ask during these lessons. Since I teach nine groups of General English Bachelor students, I was interested in conducting a comparative analysis to see if the frequency of different question types varied across these groups. It was particularly interesting to compare first- and second-year students at a General English B1.2 (Intermediate) level. This time, the theme coincided across groups: a new unit called 'On the Road,' which covered various modes of transport and included the grammar topic of comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs.
I structured the lesson by starting with a short, three-second video reel showing a Superjet flying over a Bugatti Veyron sports car. After the small talk that usually begins a lesson (I guess, referential questions mostly), I showed them the video, paused it, and began asking questions. It was sometimes difficult for me to discern whether they were display questions or referential questions. The first question was, 'Comment on what you see.' I would even say this question gives them complete freedom, and the answers can be varied. I told them that all their comments would be valid. I roughly anticipated their responses. Some said, 'I see a plane flying over a car.' Someone said, 'This video is AI-generated, and a car can't be faster than a plane.' Another said, 'In this video, the car is moving faster than the plane.' Someone else commented, 'I see a luxurious sports car and a modern Superjet.' Another said, 'No way, a plane is always faster than a car; a car is slower.' With their answers, the students had already, unknowingly, immersed themselves in the topic. They had already begun giving examples of various types of transport and comparative adjectives, without realizing that this was the core content of our lesson.
Next, I told them, 'Actually, this is a real video. A famous TV show conducted a test drive and challenge where a Bugatti Veyron sports car competed in speed against a plane.' I asked them if they knew any similar TV shows and also asked them what our lesson topic might be if we are talking about the objects in the video. They figured out that the topic was modes of transport, and one of them suggested that the grammar might be comparative degrees. I believe these were possibly display questions. I then showed them a short clip of the TV show hosts. Many of them recognized the hosts without my prompting and said who they were. I asked, 'What does this show do? What do the hosts show, and why is it so interesting to people around the world?' I believe these were also display questions. We then agreed that the show is interesting to many people because it's entertaining, possibly funny, and probably has a lot of humor. After that, I showed several reels with jokes from the show's main host, and we tried to understand what the jokes were about. There were some referentional questions asked on this stage to help them relate to the experience they've had, thus we agreed that the show was amazing...see the 2nd part below
2)Following that, I asked if they knew other challenges from the 'Top Gear' hosts. I then said that we would have the opportunity to read about another challenge. So, we moved on to a reading activity in which we learned about another challenge organized by the show. During the reading, I asked both display questions to check comprehension, and also referential questions when we reviewed synonyms, associations, and definitions of complex words encountered in the text. After that, we talked generally about modes of transport and which mode is most useful in a big city and why. We also compared different modes of transport in terms of their use in our everyday lives. At the end of the lesson, we moved on to a productive stage, working with vocabulary related to transport and the grammar of comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs.
ReplyDeleteThe students then discussed in small groups, asking each other questions using the target vocabulary and grammar in their discussions, giving feedback to the whole group about the things they've learnt from their peers. Then were the referential questions of their teacher (to expand the discussion) I asked the students what they considered to be the most convenient mode of transportation when commuting daily to their destination – be it for studies, work, extracurricular activities, or weekend outings – and to explain their reasoning.
After analyzing the lesson across different groups, I realized that students in various year levels and mixed groups (with a predominant number of boys or girls) weren't always predictably more or less active when answering referential questions. However, overall, even though I previously believed that my teaching relied more on referential questions, I now recognize that, within these particular lessons, the ratio of referential questions to display questions was perhaps closer to 60% to 40%.
To sum up, I find it reasonable and even helpful to structurize the lesson for this particular level combining 60%/40%, when students feel more secure, moving forward with clear understanding of what they know by now, so they are able to boost their productive skills within the frame of the lesson, more eagerly responding and discussing further referential questions provided.
Thanks for reading and the opportunity to develop my teaching given here! Please, everyone, feel free to comment on my experience.
Good evening! During the previous week I was focusing on my questioning style working in groups with different levels mostly A2 – B1. In all classes I was trying to make my students speak more than I do. Attempting to develop their speaking skills I widely used all types of questions. I am now trying to estimate the proportion of each.
ReplyDeleteI hardly ever start my lesson with questions like this: what would you like to focus on today? What would be the best use of our time?, etc cause we’ve got a program and we have to adhere to it. Instead, I ask them to look at the title or plan of the lesson and say what they think we are going to do/discuss in this unit? (I suppose they are choice questions that estimate 5%).
I tried to give me enough time to think about their answers and not to hurry them up or jump in with a solution. Although if to be critical, I often prompt them with advice.
The lessons started with the pre-reading or pre-listening tasks introducing the topic. Product questions were often used here to revise the necessary vocab (ab.10%).
Then came reading or listening tasks after which I suggested display questions to check their comprehension, test knowledge of what they heard or read about (20%) or differential questions involving students confidence or expanding, being engaged in discussion:
what do you think about…? Is he/she a…? Why yes/ no? Do you agree with…?(30%).
A very popular section “ what do you think will happen next?” fosters students curiosity, prediction or focuses on their past actions in correlation with future performance. These are meta questions ( ab. 30 %).
And finally, reflecting critically on the whole lesson we bring the lesson to a close with questions like “how did you find our lesson today?”, “what will you take away from our conversation today?”, etc ( That’s about 5% of metaprocess questions).
To close, I’d like to sum up that I try to use diverse questions which are tailored to their specific lesson. Their proportions have been estimated and I’m ready to listen to your recommendations or criticism.
Good afternoon! My last week, full of teaching, had it's peak on Saturday witn b2 students. We started with some warm-up peer display questions asked by students themselves. It's a regular practice which allows me set up my PC,mail and prepare the material. On the other hand, students get involved Into learning and speaking from the very beginning.
ReplyDeleteThe topic was "outfit " combined with "an age gap". Display questions work great when we need specific details and clear idea of the text but the put learners into artificial borders hardly leaving an opportunity to stand out and go beyond.
Referential questions lead to wider views and make learners think, count, look for information. They put learners into real-life discussion which serve as authentic motivation for learning.
It's really hard to count percentage but i tend to get more discussion than pure answers. Answers are not always correct but discussion is as it makes you go beyond your "comfort zone" where the answer is ready and is just waiting to be found.
So, i will keep evaluating my teaching process and learners education progress
Having read my colleagues posts, I have to admit, I have little to add to those comprehensive pieces.
ReplyDeleteWorking with lower level students makes it a real challenge to apply referential questions a lot, as they have not yet obtained enough confidence, which means, display questions prevail (I work with A1 level).
Higher level learners (B2) definitely find dealing with referential questions more engaging (very much topic dependent, though), so, here those were mostly asked. Giving students time to think still seems to be a bit of a challenge, as we have a lot to do, but as a result, giving them quiet thinking time contributes well to the overall performance in class.
University teaching requires adhering to a fixed schedule, syllabus, and assessment framework. One of the key milestones for our students is 'in-class speaking practice', so I naturally rely on a lot of referential questions. I do my best to allocate enough time at the beginning and the end of a session for deeper group discussions or mingling activities. During the core part of the lesson, when we work on a grammar or vocabulary topic, display questions are effective for checking students' understanding. I mostly use the ones provided in the student's book. However, after text/video/audio-based tasks, I always ask a referential question to help students reflect on the content rather than the language aspects.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to mention the difficulties concerning referential questions that I regularly face. First and foremost, as English is a compulsory but non-major subject for my students, many of them view the classes as an obstacle to their diploma rather than a learning opportunity. This low motivation naturally leads to less active participation in discussions. What's more, groups consisting mostly of male programmers can be incredibly challenging at times, as they often seem uninterested in any humanitarian topic or communication in general. These two factors make those groups, figuratively speaking, viscous when it comes to reflection or discussions. Although I most often do manage to inspire (or push) them to show an interest in each other or to think deeper, I feel drained afterward.
Ekaterina, that sounds like an uphill battle! Not to stereotype, but computer science students can be a bit...geeky! (My son is one, so I know the "type" quite well. I also have worked for several years with groups of computer science students to develop www.comsem.net, which is a platform for giving delayed corrective feedback to learners after communicative activities (https://waesol.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/11.-Hunter-J.-2021.-Comsem.net-An-online-platform-for-providing-and-tracking-delayed-corrective-feedback.-WAESOL-Educator-462-29-33.pdf). Speaking of which, an idea to try might be having the students themselves choose topics and run the conversation - that way, they are accountable to each other for topic selection and "bringing their A game". Here's an article describing the approach: https://connect.gonzaga.edu/asset/file/292/ELT_J-2011-Hunter-elt_ccq093.pdf;
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