100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning

Book excerpt: No matter what you teach, there is a 100 Ideas title for you! The 100 Ideas series offers teachers practical, easy-to-implement strategies and activities for the classroom. Each author is an expert in their field and is passionate about sharing best practice with their peers. Each title includes at least ten additional extra-creative Bonus Ideas that won't fail to inspire and engage all learners. Questioning is key to effective teaching and learning, yet practical questioning strategies that are immediately useable in the classroom can be hard to come by. 100 Ideas for Primary Teachers: Questioning presents practical strategies, games and activities not only to help teachers improve their own questioning in the classroom, but also to allow pupils to develop an understanding of how they too can ask effective questions to develop their learning. Using philosophical approaches including ownership, authenticity, balance and Socratic principles, Peter Worley, co-founder of The Philosophy Foundation, provides guidance and ideas on how questioning can help pupils reach the next step and activate their own thinking. He also encourages teachers to reflect on their practice and the effect of questioning on children's progress. The ideas in this book are applicable to all subjects in a primary teacher's curriculum and are ideal for establishing good questioning strategies and a solid understanding of this core element of teaching.