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Socratic Questioning Techniques |
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Use these types of questions in all areas of your day, not just in the reading circle. Teach your students to think critically all day!!!
CLARIFICATION * ASSUMPTIONS * REASONS *VIEWPOINTS* IMPLICATIONS *QUESTIONS * HOTS
What is the Socratic technique?
This type of questioning fosters critical thinking, evaluation,
and knowledge application in students.
*Be sure to allow 'wait time' for thinking to process. Give
students time to consider the question and their response before
requesting them to answer.
*Avoid yes-no questions. They lead nowhere and do not promote
thinking or discussion.
*Avoid the question, "Do you understand?" Replace it
with the statement, "Give me an example so I know you
understand."
*Be sure students have the needed background and resources to
response to the questions posed. It is not fair to expect higher
levels of thinking on subjects to which they have not been
exposed.
*Open-ended and closed questions are useful. Open-ended questions
promote critical thinking, while closed questions can focus
attention.
*Include clarifying questions, demands and statements. They are
as valid as questions are. Students may need guidance as they
sift through possible answers.
*Use questions from all levels of thinking. Help students to
develop higher levels of critical thinking as well as the typical
knowledge and comprehension levels.
What do you mean by…
What is your main point?
How does ____ relate to ______?
Could you put that another way?
What do you think is the main issue here?
Is your basic point ______ or _____?
How does this relate to our discussion/problem/issue?
What do you think John meant by his remark? What did you take John to mean?
Jane, summarize in your own words what Richard has said. Richard, is that what you meant?
Could you give an example?
Would this be an example: ______?
Could you explain that further?
Would you say more about that?
Why do you say that?
QUESTIONS THAT PROBE ASSUMPTIONS:
What are you assuming?
What is Karen assuming?
What could we assume instead?
You seem to be assuming _____. Do I understand you correctly?
You seem to be assuming _____. How do you justify this as your position?
All of your reasoning is dependent on the fact that _____. Why have you based your reasoning on ____ rather than ____?
QUESTIONS THAT PROBE REASON AND EVIDENCE:
What would be an example?
Why do you say that?
Why do you think that is right?
What led you in that belief?
How does that apply to this case?
What would convince you otherwise?
How could we go about finding out if that is true?
By what reasoning did you come to that conclusion?
Who is in a position to know if that is the case?
Are those reasons adequate?
Could you explain your reasons to us?
But is that good evidence to believe that?
QUESTIONS ABOUT VIEWPOINTS OR PERSPECTIVES:
What would someone who disagrees say?
What is an alternative?
How are Mary's and John's ideas alike? Different?
QUESTIONS THAT PROBE IMPLICATIONS AND CONSEQUENCES:
What are you implying by that?
When you say ____ are you implying ____?
But if that happened, what else would also happen as a result? Why?
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE QUESTIONS:
Is this the same issue as?
Does this question ask us to evaluate something?
Is this question easy or hard to answer? Why?
Page Created by Peggy Barber