The ability to ask intelligent and searching questions, to use questioning for different purposes and to know what to do with the answers is crucial to teachers of all subjects and age groups. Sometimes a whole lesson can be built around one or two key questions. Ted Wragg and George Brown explore the wide range of questions that teachers can ask, from those requiring simple recall of information right up to those that stimulate complex reasoning, imagination and speculation. The book explores the various strategies open to teachers and, through a combination of activities and discussion points, helps them to: * reflect upon their use of questions * develop their approaches to preparing, using and evaluating questions * explore ways to encourage pupils to ask questions. This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were bestsellers and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills.

The ability to ask intelligent and searching questions, to use questioning for different purposes and to know what to do with the answers is crucial to teachers of all subjects and age groups. Sometimes a whole lesson can be built around one or two key questions. Ted Wragg and George Brown explore the wide range of questions that teachers can ask, from those requiring simple recall of information right up to those that stimulate complex reasoning, imagination and speculation. The book explores the various strategies open to teachers and, through a combination of activities and discussion points, helps them to: * reflect upon their use of questions * develop their approaches to preparing, using and evaluating questions * explore ways to encourage pupils to ask questions. This book is one of a set of eight innovative yet practical resource books for teachers, focussing on the classroom and covering vital skills for primary and secondary teachers. The books are strongly influenced by the findings of numerous research projects during which hundreds of teachers were observed at work. The first editions of the series were bestsellers and these revised second editions will be equally welcomed by teachers eager to improve their teaching skills.

The untold story of the root cause of America's education crisis--and the seemingly endless cycle of multigenerational poverty. It was only after years within the education reform movement that Natalie Wexler stumbled across a hidden explanation for our country's frustrating lack of progress when it comes to providing every child with a quality education. The problem wasn't one of the usual scapegoats: lazy teachers, shoddy facilities, lack of accountability. It was something no one was talking about: the elementary school curriculum's intense focus on decontextualized reading comprehension "skills" at the expense of actual knowledge. In the tradition of Dale Russakoff's The Prize and Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, Wexler brings together history, research, and compelling characters to pull back the curtain on this fundamental flaw in our education system--one that fellow reformers, journalists, and policymakers have long overlooked, and of which the general public, including many parents, remains unaware. But The Knowledge Gap isn't just a story of what schools have gotten so wrong--it also follows innovative educators who are in the process of shedding their deeply ingrained habits, and describes the rewards that have come along: students who are not only excited to learn but are also acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that will enable them to succeed. If we truly want to fix our education system and unlock the potential of our neediest children, we have no choice but to pay attention.

This publication reviews research findings related to the verbal questioning behaviors and practices of teachers. It emphasizes current research related to the impact of questioning practices on student thinking, achievement, and attitudes. This includes questioning techniques and strategies and approaches to analyzing classroom questions. A list of teaching suggestions synthesized from a variety of research studies dealing with questioning is presented: (1) plan key questions to provide lesson structure and direction; (2) phrase questions clearly and specifically; (3) adapt questions to student ability level; (4) ask questions logically and sequentially; (5) ask questions at a variety of levels; (6) follow up student responses; (7) give students time to think; (8) encourage student questions; and (9) use questions that encourage wide student participation. These techniques are discussed and analyzed as they apply to improvement of teachers' questioning practices and the impact on learning outcomes. The final section of the monograph is devoted to methods for improving teachers' questioning practices. (JD)

The authors of Make Just One Change argue that formulating one’s own questions is “the single most essential skill for learning”—and one that should be taught to all students. They also argue that it should be taught in the simplest way possible. Drawing on twenty years of experience, the authors present the Question Formulation Technique, a concise and powerful protocol that enables learners to produce their own questions, improve their questions, and strategize how to use them. Make Just One Change features the voices and experiences of teachers in classrooms across the country to illustrate the use of the Question Formulation Technique across grade levels and subject areas and with different kinds of learners.

Teachers ask hundreds of questions every week, some requiring single one word answers, others involving much more complex thought and understanding, and many are to do with the management of the class. Whole lessons can be built around one or two thought-provoking questions, involving the imagination, inviting children to recall vital information, understand a new concept, analyze, speculate, and reason. This workbook explains clearly the different types and patterns of questions teachers may ask and offers a wide range of useful practical exercises to enable both experienced and trainee teachers to improve their own and their colleagues questioning skills.

Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning scienceâ€"the "eyes glazed over" syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards is the book that educators have been waiting forâ€"a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards. This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand "why we can't teach the way we used to." "Inquiry" refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and in which students grasp science knowledge and the methods by which that knowledge is produced. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science. This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K-12 students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide. The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies. Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.