Example Of Essay On Asking Good Questions

Reflecting on the presentation, it is clear that children are always curious. Children try to make sense of their surroundings and the events that happen around them. As such, children are always asking questions even before they go to school. Once they are in school, it is important that instructors guide children in asking good questions. When children ask questions about something, it is because they have thought about it and want to understand it. Teachers can help children construct new knowledge and expand on previous knowledge by asking them questions. This way, children develop their cognitive abilities. While there are no stupid questions, some questions are usually better than others, and thus questions that are well crafted are likely to foster curiosity and hunt for answers. Art Costa’s levels of inquiry can go a long way in helping instructors frame good questions that can assist children in expanding on their knowledge.
Level 1 questions are those that mostly ask the learner to define, state, describe, name, list or identify. While they do not elicit much thinking from the children, they are important in establishing the basic comprehension of situations or facts. Teachers need to advance their questions beyond this level to level 2 questions which enable a student to analyze and make interpretations. This is very critical in eliciting the child’s ability to think and make inferences from facts and situations. Level 3 questions are intended to help children make predictions from analysis. Knowing when to ask questions is critical in helping study and group discussions. Teachers should allow children to express themselves by leading them through the questioning process. Using questions to lead them through their questions helps them have a better understanding of things.