Questioning Techniques

1. Questioning Techniques USSF Referee Instructor Course ITIP United States Soccer Federation

2. Questioning Techniques Lesson Set Think about previous classes that you’ve attended. Were questions asked by the students? And were responses given? Did the instructor ask questions and seek responses? A coincidence?

3. Questioning Techniques Lesson Set Why question? It’s an tool to help students learn. When questions are posed by the student, it’s important that you respond to these questions …. your response should have a positive effect on the group’s learning.

4. Questioning Techniques • Lesson Objective • At the end of this lesson the you will list: • The purpose of a question • Three techniques for posing specific questions to trainees.

5. Questioning Techniques Purpose of a Question • Test (Check for understanding) • Teach (Help student to learn/retention) • Achieve Activity (Promotes active participation) • Apply Mental Pressure (Promotes higher level thinking skills)

6. Questioning Techniques During the Lesson Asking questions during a lesson is most effective and most needed for retention • Disadvantages • Time Wasted • Interest Lost • Deviation Advantages • Participation • Clarification • Progress • Adjust

7. Questioning Techniques • Advantages • Prompts Active Participation which helps retention. • Clarification …. Check for understanding . A student who does not understand a point will silently dwell on it while you’re going ahead. In effect you have lost him for the balance of the lesson. • You can gage how effective your teaching is. If you ask carefully, you can determine if you are “getting across”, i.e. making Progress. • You can Adjust to emphasize key points. Allows you to make sure you get across the information you want.

8. Questioning Techniques • Disadvantages • Time may be lost waiting for the slow answer/reaction. A tight time schedule does not allow for too much questioning. • Focus is on one individual …. unless question is of general interest, other students may be distracted or loose concentration on the subject. • Question can sometimes take you off track of the topic … you must be careful in how and what you say. This may also upset the way you plan to develop the presentation.

9. Questioning Techniques Techniques • You ask • Plan carefully • Use sparingly • Control

10. Questioning Techniques Techniques Questions can enhance or hinder learning • You Ask …. Avoid spontaneous questions …. Be prepared with pre-determined questions that anticipate problems in the lesson plan. You decide what to emphasize, reinforce, point out … based on past experiences, perceived difficulties with subject matter, knowledge level of students, etc. • Plan Carefully to emphasize. Make sure question is formulated at thinking level that you want …. Don’t just come up with haphazard questions. Decide at what point a question needs to be asked to liven up, emphasize. Ask question in easily an stated manner to the whole group.

11. Questioning Techniques Techniques • Use Sparingly ….. Overuse can detract from the learning …. Too many questions can cause learners to become defensive and create a high level of tension, which then becomes a negative learning atmosphere. It is only one technique. You limit your chances of succeeding with all students, since they each learn in a different combination of ways. • Control the questioning … questions can be used to create a certain tension level intended to keep students attentive. Make sure you keep any discussion under control so that the students are not thrown off the track.

12. Questioning Techniques Qualities of a Good Question • Must be on the subject matter • There must be one point only • Must be clear • Only one correct answer • Familiar language to student • Use good grammar • Never suggest the answer in the question

13. Questioning Techniques Qualities of a Good Question • Avoid questions with yes/no answers • Ask questions that are open-ended • Limit questions that rely completely on memory • Use correct terminology and vocabulary that student’s understand, taking into account any cultural differences. • Avoid questions that contain the answer, i.e. avoid answering your own questions

14. APPLE Principle Questioning Techniques ASK PAUSE PICK LISTEN EVALUATE

15. Questioning Techniques APPLE Ask The Group … first pose the question Pause …. This allows students time to think of the answer. Wait 5-15 seconds, then … Pick …. Call on a specific student, do not accept “hands up” … avoid calling on same one or two students who are always anxious to answer. Listen … for completeness of answer … don’t jump in too early. Evaluate … Never say just “yes” or “no” …… don’t humiliate or embarrass a student, let them down easy … “are you sure?” Reinforce correct answers. Always tell the student when they are incorrect, then explain the correct answer.

16. Questioning Techniques How to Pose a Question • Ask The Group • Ask “W” Questions • Ask “Suppose” Questions • Ask for Depth • Be Precise • Get Agreements • Avoid Grilling

17. Questioning Techniques Ask The Group Many students feel apprehensive if they know an instructor is going to ask them a question. They feel relieved when they know a question is going to be posed to someone else. The typical reaction when posed to someone else is to stop thinking about the answer, relying on that other student to supply the correct information. Don’t use round-robin questioning

18. Questioning Techniques Ask The Group One of your objectives should be to get every student thinking about the answer to the question. Don’t call on student to respond to question prior to the question being asked. Avoid directing question to a student for disciplinary reasons. Avoid answering your own questions

19. Questioning Techniques Ask “W” Questions Posing questions with words: WHO WHAT WHERE WHY WHEN These are the key words that will improve your questions and help you to secure facts, information and a specific response.

20. Questioning Techniques Ask “Suppose” Questions • These questions help to amplify and reinforce a point. • They can be used to bring up a new or added point. • They’re also useful when you need to break a deadlock.

21. Questioning Techniques Ask For Depth Asking the student for examples, explanations, references, reasoning behind thinking will reinforce the student’s learning. Follow up a student response with “Tell me more” … “ What makes you say that?”

22. Questioning Techniques Be Precise • Make sure question is understood. • You need to frame the question carefully • If there are several key factors in the question, it helps to write it out for the students to “see” as well as “hear”.

23. Questioning Techniques Get Agreements One way is to offer several solutions in the form of a question to the group. Another way is to confirm an answer by asking others, in turn, whether or not they agree. Always acknowledge the right answer and reinforce correct responses.

24. Questioning Techniques Avoid Grilling Ask questions in a positive manner, it helps the student to think, to reinforce, to improve attention and retention. Be helpful …. be positive even with a wrong answer or no answer … suggest answer yourself, hint or prompt student. Avoid embarrassing student by continued questioning. Switch to another student. Berating one student also negatively affects other students.

25. Questioning Techniques GRILLING Is like teaching a pig to sing: It frustrates you and it annoys the pig!

26. Questioning Techniques A Good Question Is • Fully Understood by the Class • Contains No Ambiguity • Stimulates Thought • Discourages Guessing It is important to use correct terms and language. Poorly formed questions and incorrect terminology can often do more harm than good.

27. Good Questioning Technique Encourages Questioning Techniques • Class Participation • Keeps Class Alert • Promotes Retention Questioning can create a certain level of tension …. but the right question can relieve tension as well.

28. Questioning Techniques • Lesson Assignment • Write out the following and bring to the in-class clinic sessions: • An explanation of the purpose of a question. • The (3) techniques for posing specific questions to students and an example for each. • The (4) qualities of a good question with an example of each.

29. Questioning Techniques USSF Referee Instructor Course ITIP United States Soccer Federation