Socratic Questioning in Action

8/17/2019 Socratic Questioning in Action

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ssentials of Socratic Questioning in

the Classroom

Mdm Masayu Mahmud

Woodgrove Secondary School


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Agenda for the Day• Essential Questions for

Educators

• C2015 issues

• Why is questioning

important?

• Socratic Questioning ethod

• Socratic Seminar

• !enefits " #imitations

• $aul%s &a'onomy of Socratic

Questions• (roup)&hin*)Share


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Essential Questions for Educators

• How do we educate the child born in 2000 to live,work and compete in the “flat world” describedby Thomas Friedman?

• How will this eneration of children row up with

the necessary knowlede and wisdom as definedby the new 2!st century ta"onomies, to addressissues, problems and challenes when solutionsare comple" and not easily definable andaccessible?

• #ost importantly, how will children have meta$conitive prowess to e"plore deeper %uestions toponder and seek solutions to problems not yetknown?


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'Effective questioning has greater potential

than any other teaching method forstimulating student thinking…' +,issoc* "

-yortsuun. 1/2. p i'

3 All our knowledge results from questions,

which is another way of saying that

question-asking is our most importantintellectual tool 3

+$ostman +1/4/. in organ and Sa'ton

+1//1. p/


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Why is teacher questioning in the

classroom important?


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Questioning is important because• determines the leel of *no6ledge

students 7ring to the lesson to helpgauge prior learning8

• gauges understanding andperformance8

• stimulates thin*ing8

• helps clarify the ideas students hold8• encourages motiation through actie

participation8

• signals that 6e hae an interest instudents3 thoughts8

• encourages pro7lem soling8

• helps students learn from oneanother8

• deepens thin*ing leels8

• challenges 7eliefs and alues8

• aids in controlling student 7ehaiour


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Questioning

• What is important to you 6hen as*ing a

question?

• What is important to you 6hen as*ed a

• question?


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!emembering

• 9ecalling information

• 9ecogni:ing. #isting. -dentifying. ;aming.

• #ocating.


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"nderstanding

• E'plaining ideas or concepts to construct

meaning

• Summari:ing. -nferring. $araphrasing.• Classifying. Comparing. =escri7ing

• 9ecitation. Collection. Sho6 and &ell.

• E'ample. Qui:. utline


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Applying

• @sing information in another conte't

• Soles pro7lems. Calculates. Compiles.

• Completes. -llustrates• $hotograph. -llustration. Simulation.

• Sculpture. =emonstration. $resentation.

• -nterie6. $erformance. =iary. Aournal


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Analy#ing

• ethodically separating into parts and

studying relationships

• Comparing. =econstructing. rgani:ing.• Bttri7uting. -ntegrating

• (raph. Spreadsheet. 9u7ric. 9eport.

• -nquire. -nestigate


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Evaluating

• Audging 7ased on criteria

• Critiquing. &esting. easuring. Comparing

• Bssessing• =e7ate. 9eport. $resentation


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Creating

• Creating a ne6 idea or product

• =esigning. $lanning. a*ing. odifying.

&a*es ris*s

• &ool. $rogram. Song. Brt. =eice


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Application to Sub$ects

Science

• #a7el a diagram of a leaf

• Classify plants 7ased on leaf structure• Compare and contrast leaf adaptation

• -nestigate ho6 leaf structure is related to

the enironment in 6hich the plant gro6s• =esign a ne6 leaf structure that is a7le to

6ithin all 6eather elements


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Application to Sub$ects

Written #anguage

• #ist rules for using a comma

• Compare t6o 6riting samples for the useof commas

• &ransform a rap song into proper 6ritten

English and comma usage• -nent a ne6 6ord to descri7e a specific

emotion


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Question %ypes and &utcomes


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Elements of 'igher (evel

QuestioningQuestions to gro6 7y

• pportunities to

9espond Do6

often does theteacher as*

questions or gie

students a chance to

respond to the topicat hand?


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• #eels of Questions ) Can

the teacher match specific

questions 6ith the

appropriate instructional leel

for that lesson? =o teachers

understand when certain

leels of questioning are the

most appropriate? #o6er

leel question are important

&hey help teachers andstudents scaffold and

prepare for other questions

that require deeper thought


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•


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Questioning

Questions to gro6 7y

• Wait &ime Do6 long does the

teacher wait FFafter as*ing their

question? &his is a7solutely crucial to

eliciting 7etter student ans6ers9emem7er that students need time to

process their ans6ers. especially for

higher leel questions

• Strategies such as &hin*)$air)Share

can help students do this -t is also

important to GtrainH students to *no6that you expect an ans6er &he

silence may 7other you as a teacher.

7ut remem7er that it also 7others your

students @se this to your adantage


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• Wording of Questions Do6

does the 6ording of a question

impact student ans6ers? =oes

the question elicit a one)6ord or

yesIno ans6er? =oes thequestion hae a definite right or

6rong ans6er? Bre there a

multitude of 6ays to ans6er a

question Gcorrectly?H =oes the

question require students to

proide eidence to supporttheir opinion? &here is no one

type of question students should

7e as*ed. 7ut ho6 does the

6ording impact the outcome?


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• @se of !ac*ground ,no6ledge &he

concept of 7ac*ground *no6ledge and

scaffolding is essential for students to

connect to *ne6 learning Strong

neural path6ays in the 7rain arecreated 7y connecting to path6ays that

already e'ist. much li*e a system of

roads &he more 7ac*ground

*no6ledge students hae to dra6 upon

+content related or not the 7etter

ans6ers they can deise Consider

structuring higher)leel thin*ing

actiities so students can dra6 on that

7ac*ground *no6ledge to ma*e

stronger learning connections


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• Student 9esponses Do6

students respond to the teacher%s

questions can tell you a lot a7out

the discussion norms in a

classroom Bre they respectful ofother%s ans6ers? =o they

intelligently contradict one

another 6ith eidence? =o they

ans6er at all? -s there a 7road

spectrum of the class inoled in

the conersation or is it Just 2 or students? Do6 easily can the

teacher recogni:e and redirect

students 6hen needed?


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• &eacher%s 9esponse

&he ans6ers a teacher

gets can depend a great

deal on ho6 the teacherresponds to student

ans6ers &he teacher%s

responses can cause

students to *eep their

mouths closed or inspirethem to deeper and more

creatie 6ays of thin*ing


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'ence) ho* can *e move from++

• KClass do you understand?%

• =o you hae any questions?

• So are you ready for a test?

• What isF?

• Who isF?

http://comics.com/grand_avenue/2003-05-20/


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%o+


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,n Socratic Questioning teachers help

studentsclarify their thin-ing by.

• posing thought)proo*ing questions• rephrasing or as*ing additional questions

• *eeping the discussion focused

• encouraging students to e'plain things to

each other

• ensuring that students consider each

ie68 no ie6s should 7e cut off. ignored.

or unfairly dismissed

• 7rea*ing 7ig questions or tas*s into

smaller. more managea7le parts• helping students to identify 6hat they

need to *no6


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'o* questions affect student/s thin-ing


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Socratic Questioning Method

&efers to the %uestion and answer method

of philosophi'in (dialectic dialectic ) used by *ocrates

in +latos early dialoues (e--, Euthyphro),

often in con.unction with pretendedinorance (Socratic irony Socratic irony ), whereby a self$

professed e"perts over$confident claim to

knowlede is subverted-

#ore enerally, *ocratic method is anyany

philosophical or pedagogical method that philosophical or pedagogical method that

disinterestedly pursues truth through analyticaldisinterestedly pursues truth through analytical

discussiondiscussion


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Socrates/ (egacy

• @sing pointed questions. he defeated the

Sophists during pu7lic discussions in Bthens.

6ho professed such things as F

…!eal knowledge is not possi"le… …#ruth is a matter of preference…

• !y reealing their reasoning +or lac* of

• De. and $lato. populari:ed $hilosophical -nquiry

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”


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&ur (egacy) %oo

• $pponents of reason a7ound today F

Sound 7ites. sales pitches +opinion)clogged air6aes

anipulatie uses of data +$lain liesL

$ost)modern deconstructionists +today%s sophists &>. 666com +passiely receied. une'amined. stuff L

$eople don%t question anymore +they Just 6ait to tal*FF

• /pen, *ocratic uestionin can help combatthe lack of deep e"amination of ones life and

course material that we see in our students-

http://www.com/http://www.com/


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'o* ,s ,t Done?

Socratic ethod@sually. as depicted in $lato%s =ialogues. three

elements are eident8

1 B pro7lem is presented Quite often it is

a question of definition. eg. What is

Justice? What is the good life? What is a

poem? What is a mi'ture?

2 &hrough a series of questions. seemingly

simple yet apparently 7rilliant to the

o7serers. Socrates demonstrates the

fallacies or 6ea*nesses of the definition

argued

(enerally. the dialectic. or dialogue. ends

6ithout an agreed upon solution @sually.

all conclude that they must pursue the

truth more igorously


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0ample1 Socratic Seminar. 2

th

grade (iterature

TopicM #oe stin*s. yeah yeah

+urposeM &o 7ring the 6hole)class reading of !omeoand %uliet to a close and to spar* interests topursue in independent readings

Focus 1onceptsM #oe. conflict

esson *e%uenceM

1 Socratic Seminar on the nature of loe Studentsshould al6ays 7e guided to use specific e'amplesfrom !omeo and %uliet and other te'ts read inclass to proide eidence for their responses

2 Seminar follo6)up

a Students list t6o important. unresoled

questions that the seminar proo*ed in them andthat they%d li*e to e'plore further

7 Students then use one or 7oth of theseG7urning questionsH as the 7asis for their end)of)play analytical essay

Whereforeart thou9omeo?

S ti S i ( ti -

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.101funpages.com/html/imgs/page_imgs/hw0602/woman.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.101funpages.com/html/f_hw1003.asp&h=338&w=204&sz=22&tbnid=OBubO-61nzIJ:&tbnh=114&tbnw=69&start=24&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwoman%2Bexhausted%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN


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Socratic Seminar. (ove stin-sSeminar prompting questionsM• =o you thin* 9omeo and Auliet 6ere

really in loe? Why or 6hy not?• What is loe? Bre there different types

of loe?• -s loe a 7asic human need. as 7asic

as the need for food and 6ater?• Do6 is loe portrayed in the media?

Do6 is this similar to or different from

ho6 loe is portrayed in !omeo and%uliet& Do6 accurate is this portrayal?• Do6 much do you thin* the ision of

loe depicted in !omeo and %uliet hasinfluenced our society%s ision ofromantic loe?

• =oes loing someone ma*e us 7etter

people? ore selfish? Do6 does itaffect us?• Do6 do 6e choose 6ho 6e loe? o

6e choose 6ho 6e loe?• Can loe 7e a destructie force? -s it

al6ays a constructie force?• Do6 are loe and conflict related?

A , i % h S i


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An ,nconvenient %ruth Socratic

Seminar• 1 Why is it important to *no6 6hat glo7al 6armingI climate

change is all a7out?

• 2 What are some of the reasons gien to support the idea that

glo7al 6arming is a result of human actiity? E'plain

• What are some arguments made to disagree 6ith ideas

supporting glo7al 6arming as a result of humans?

• N What are some of the reasons gien to support the idea that

climate change is a result of natural causes? E'plain

• 5 What are some arguments made to disagree 6ith ideassupporting climate change as a result of natural causes?

• O What idea do you agree 6ith? What are your reasons?

• 4 -s it possi7le for people to 7eliee that climate change is the

result of natural causes B;= to support efforts to reduce humans%

impact on the atmosphere? E'plain

• ur national goernment 6ants to ma*e seeral changes in our

country to reduce andIor set requirements regarding amounts of

greenhouse gases allo6ed into the atmosphere What 6ould 7e

some of the positie and negatie impacts on society if theserequirements are passed?

• / -n the last year. information has 7een found that some of the

claims made of human impact on glo7al 6arming 6ere falseIlies

Do6 does this information influence your opinion of human

impact? What a7out your opinion a7out ho6 much goernment

money should 7e spent?


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Employing Socratic Questioning

&eacher pro7es the assumptions and personale'periences and scientific data underlying astudent%s argument

Student as*s teacher to clarify. and a7out possi7leconsequences of an approach presented inclass

&eacher as*s students to role play each)others%

points of ie6. and to inestigate factualinformation to determine the accuracy of media

&he 9esult ????


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%he !esult?

• B 6ell cultiated critical thin*erM• raises ital questions and

pro7lems. formulating them clearlyand precisely8

• gathers and assesses releantinformation. using a7stract ideas

to interpret it effectiely comes to6ell)reasoned conclusions andsolutions. testing them againstreleant criteria and standards8

• thin*s openmindedly 6ithinalternatie systems of thought.recogni:ing and assessing. as

need 7e. their assumptions.implications. and practicalconsequences8 and

• communicates effectiely 6ithothers in figuring out solutions tocomple' pro7lems

S S


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(imitations of Socratic Seminar in

Classroom setting imitations

• Time3 1lass si'e3 1ontent delivery is slow

• 1an o in unproductive directions if not well directed by

teacher

• #ost effective in small roups

*trenths

• 1larifies, deepens, strenthens understandin

/f 4lements and *tandards of reasonin

5nd 6 of theirs and others 7ntellectual Traits• 4naes and 4lucidates students thinkin

/n the spot8

9enerates :5fter ;urn 6 reflection < coitation-

' d l hi i


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'o* do *e apply this in our

classroom?

• -nstead of diing into Socratic Seminar. 6e adopt a model 7y $aul.Elder " !artell +1//4 6hich states si' leels of SocraticQuestioning

11larificationM &o gather more information a7out a statement 7yas*ing Gtell me moreH type of questions

2+robin assumptionsM &o challenge and e'plore preconceied7eliefs. alues. perceptions. etc

5skin for reasons, evidence or causes

N+robin perspectivesM &o de7ate and offer alternatie ie6pointsand perceptions

54"plorin implications and conse%uencesM &o thin* ahead a7out6hat 6ill happen if the current argument is true

Ouestions about the %uestionM &o question the original questionand challenge one3s o6n thin*ing and reasoning

' t th S ti M th d i


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'o* to use the Socratic Method in

the Classroom?Tips for the Teacher

• $lan significant questions that proide structure and direction to the lesson

• $hrase the questions clearly and specifically

• Wait &imeM aintain silence and 6ait at least 5 to 10 seconds for students to respond

• ,eep the discussion focused

•


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Questions of Clarification

• (et students to thin* more a7out 6hat e'actly they are as*ing orthin*ing a7out $roe the concepts 7ehind their argument !asic 3tellme more3 questions that get them to go deeper

• (hat do you mean "y…

• (hat is your main point& • (hy are you saying that&• (hat exactly does this mean&• )ow does this relate to what we have "een talking a"out&• (hat is the nature of &•

(hat do we already know a"out this&• *an you give me an example& • Are you saying or & • *an you rephrase that, please&


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Questions that 3robe Assumptions

$ro7ing of assumptions ma*es them thin* a7out the presuppositions andunquestioned 7eliefs on 6hich they are founding their argument &his is

sha*ing the 7edroc* and should get them really goingL• (hat else could we assume&• +ou seem to "e assuming & • )ow did you choose those assumptions& • lease explain whyhow & • )ow can you verify or disprove that assumption&

• (hat would happen if & • o you agree or disagree with & • (hat are you assuming&• (hat is ..... assuming&• (hat could we assume instead&• +ou seem to "e assuming ///// o 0 understand you correctly&• +ou seem to "e assuming ///// )ow do you 1ustify this as your position&• All of your reasoning is dependent on the fact that /////• (hy have you "ased your reasoning on //// rather than ////&

Q ti th t b


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Questions that probe reason 4

evidenceWhen they gie a rationale for their arguments. dig into that reasoning ratherthan assuming it is a gien $eople often use un)thought)through or 6ea*lyunderstood supports for their arguments

• (hy is that happening&• )ow do you know this& • Show me &

• *an you give me an example of that&• (hat do you think causes &• (hat is the nature of this& • Are these reasons good enough& • (ould it stand up in court& • )ow might it "e refuted&

• )ow can 0 "e sure of what you are saying&• (hy is happening&• (hy& 2keep asking it -- you'll never get past a few times3 • (hat evidence is there to support what you are saying& • $n what authority are you "asing your argument&

Q ti b t i i t


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Questions about vie*points 4

perspectivesost arguments " discussions are gien from a particular positionSo attac* the position Sho6 that there are other. equally alid.ie6points

• Another way of looking at this is , does this seem reasona"le&

• (hat alternative ways of looking at this are there&• (hy it is necessary&• (ho "enefits from this&• (hat is the difference "etween and&• (hy is it "etter than &• (hat are the strengths and weaknesses of&

• )ow are and similar& • (hat would say a"out it& • (hat if you compared and & • )ow could you look another way at this&

Q ti th t b i li ti d


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Questions that probe implications and

consequences

&he argument that they gie may hae logical implicationsthat can 7e forecast =o these ma*e sense? Bre theydesira7le?

• #hen what would happen&

• (hat are the consequences of that assumption&• )ow could "e used to &

• (hat are the implications of &

• )ow does affect &

• )ow does fit with what we learned "efore&• (hy is important&

• (hat is the "est & (hy&


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Questions about the question

• Bnd you can also get refle'ie a7out the 6holething. turning the question in on itself @se their

attac* against themseles !ounce the 7all 7ac*into their court. etc

• (hat was the point of asking that question&

• (hy do you think 0 asked this question&

• (hat does that mean&• What 6as the point of this question?

• Do6 doesapply to eeryday life?


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(et/s try

• Classify the follo6ing

questions

(E(9B$DP

1 What is glo7al 6arming?2 What are the factors

contri7uting to glo7al

6arming?

Do6 do you *no6 the earth is

getting 6armer? Whateidence supports your

ans6er?


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(et/s try+

D-S&9P• =o historians ma*e

alue Judgments indeciding 6hat to

include and 6hat toleae out?

• Why do historicalfacts differ from one

ie6 to another?• Do6 can 6e 7egin to Judge a historicalpoint of ie6?


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(et/s try+

B&DEB&-CS

GWhat does a fraction

mean to you?H

GWhere do you usefractions?H

GCan you gie me an

e'ample of a fraction?H

GWhere do you seefractions?H

GWhy are fractionsimportant?H

4"amples of 9eoraphical%uestions

;loom=s Ta"onomy *ocratic uestionin uestion foci


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(hich was the "etter strategyto use&(hich management choice islikely to have the most positiveimpact& (hy is the study of volcanoesimportant&

Ealuation Questions a7out thequestion

Bssess. Judge. ealuate.compare and contrast

(hat conclusions can youdraw from the experiment&!eflecting on the supposedcauses of glo"al warming whatwould you do&

Synthesis Questions that pro7eimplications andconsequences

9eflect. predict. speculate.design. create. com7ine.hypothesise

(hy did this 45$ decide thiswas the most appropriate wayof dealing with the pro"lem&(hat is the function ofregeneration pro1ects&

Bnalysis Questions of ie6points andperspecties E'plain. infer. dra6conclusions. prioritise

(hy&(hy does the climate graphfor 6athmandu show this

pattern&

Bpplication Questions that pro7ereasons and eidence

@se. interpret. use in a ne6conte't. relate

)ow do waves erode thecoast&escri"e the climate graph

Comprehension Questions that pro7eassumptions

E'plain. summarise. descri7e.compare

(hat is the capital city of5ermany&

(hat is the name for a multi-channelled river&

,no6ledge Questions of Clarification =efine. recall. descri7e

Types of uestions 1oncept eforestation


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ypes o uest o s 1o cept< ssue e o estat o

Questions of Clarification Where are the tropical rainforests located inthe 6orld?

Questions that pro7e assumptions Why are they located near the equator?

Questions that pro7e reason and eidence Suggest some reasons 6hy tropicalrainforests are 7eing logged? What are thecleared lands 7eing used for and 6hy?

Questions a7out ie6points or perspecties What is the alternatie to commerciallogging? Do6 does deforestation impactindigenous people and pharmaceuticalcompanies?

Questions that pro7e implications andconsequences

What are the consequences of large scaledeforestation all oer the 6orld? What arethe short term and long term impacts?

Questions a7out the question Why are tropical rainforests important in thefirst place? Do6 has slash and 7urnagriculture affecting rates of deforestation?Who is loo*ing into reersing the pro7lem?Do6 successful hae the strategies 7een?


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5roup1%hin-1Share

• -n your groups decide on a concept that you

6ant to discuss on and design O types of

questions 7ased on the concept

http://comics.com/frazz/2005-03-10/


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B Socratic questioner shouldM• $lan significant questions that proide structure anddirection to the lesson• $hrase the questions clearly and specifically• Wait &imeM aintain silence and 6ait at least 5 to 10

seconds for students to respond• ,eep the discussion focused•


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"Good questions recognize the widepossibilities of thought and are builtaround varying forms of thinking.Good questions are directed towardlearning and evaluative thinkingrather than determining what hasbeen learned in a narrow sense" – N

M anders


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!eflections

• -dentify the ta'onomy leels eident in

your lesson

• #ist the questions 6ithin the lesson

• #ist possi7le student questions

• Do6 might you proide opportunities for

higher)order thin*ing?


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Questioning ,s ,ntegral to

5ood !easoning

!easoning ,s ,ntegral to

5ood Questioning

∞


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%han- 6ou

Q n B

Documents

Socratic Questioning in Action