THE ART OF

QUESTIONING
Dr. Nicolas T. Capulong
Assistant Schools Division
Superintendent

Introduction
One of the teaching tools
conveniently placed in the hands of a
teacher is the questions. And yet
many
teachers
either
use
it
carelessly or fail to see its
possibilities for promoting effective
learning.

Uses
1.
2.

3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.

To stimulate students to think

To motivate students

Questions can be used effectively to arouse and hold the interest of

pupils

To diagnose pupil difficulties

To discover pupil interest
To develop the ability to evaluate and organize materials or
experiences.

Will students to see relationships among data and to formulate

conclusions

To aid students relate pertinent experiences to the lesson.

To focus pupil attention on the points of the lesson.

It helps students organize their thinking about a lesson in a logical way.

To develop new appreciations and attitudes

Questions can be used to help pupils modify, clarify or expand ideas

relating to appreciations and attitudes.

9. To provide drill or practice.

10. To show relationship, such as cause & effect.
11. To encourage the application of concepts.

Characteristics of a Good
Question
1. It is simple and clear
2. It is definite

Permits one answer

3. It is challenging & thought provoking

It stimulates students to compare,

evaluate, draw conclusions & appraise
results.

4. It is adopted to the age, abilities and

interests of the students.
5. It requires on extends response

Techniques of Questioning
questioning requires skills
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Questions should be asked in a natural and well

modulated voice.
A teacher should ask the question first & then wait for
the class to think about it before calling on a student to
answer the question.
A sufficient number of questions should be asked to
stimulate students to activity.
A teacher should refrain from repeating questions. (to
challenge attention)
Questions should be evenly distributed so that the
majority of the pupils can take part in the discussion.
A teacher should avoid starting to any mechanical system
of fielding question to the class, such as alphabetical
order, row by row etc.
A teacher should ask questions that are really interesting
and thought provoking.

Techniques in Handling
Students Response
1.

A teacher should make every effort to show on

appreciative attitude towards students answers.

The teacher should refrain from giving sarcastic

comments to wrong answer.
2. A teacher should never allow wrong answers slip by.
3. Correct answers of students should be followed with
encouraging remarks by the teacher.
4. Clearness in every point expressed by the students should
be insisted upon by the teacher.
5. Answering in concert should be discouraged.
6. A teacher should be encouraged to answer in a loud and
clear voice.
7. Students should be encouraged to answer in complete
thought units and grammatically correct statements.
8. A teacher should refrain from making the students in his
record book during the class recitation.

Techniques in Handling
Students Questions
1. Students
questions
should
be
encouraged by a teacher.
2. A teacher should not answer a student
question right away.
3. Indiscriminate student questions should
not be allowed.
4. A teacher should require students to
form grammatically correct questions.
5. If a teacher is asked questions he cannot
answer he should promptly admit his