Use of Questioning

The Use of Questioning

The Purpose of Questions

Questioning is everyday communication. It requires no extra thought to ask an everyday question. That is the question naturally occurs to us. Educative questions are designed to advance pedagogical purposes and therefore requires much thought to be effective. 

Taba (1998) described questioning as the single most influential teaching act because of the ability of the questions to influence the learning process. Levin and Long (1981) reported that teachers ask as many as three hundred to four hundred questions a day. 

A question may serve several purposes simultaneously. Among the many purposes of questions are:

1. To gain the learners participation's in class.
2. To determine what the learner knows about the subject.
3. To focus attention of the learner.
4. To lead discussions.
5. To review subject matter.
6. To stimulate thinking.
7. To test the learner's knowledge of subjects covered in class.         

Characteristics of good questions

• • Question should be clearly stated and easily understood.
  • Question should be composed of common wording.
  • Question should be prepared in advance whenever possible.
  • Question should require the learner to take an active, reflective role in learning.