Questioning Techniques - Word Work Questions

Carol Brewer
Sep 06, 2010

How do I use Word Work questions to make the connection from instruction to assessments?

The Questioning Technique is the way in which teachers plan for and use questions. Word Work questions require students to use vocabulary strategies for how words work. These questions are often missed because they require students to use context clues along with their knowledge of words to understand what they have read. The answers are not 'right there' in the text, therefore students have to use word solving strategies to identify the words. For example, In the phrase, "The student was motivated to make good grades. What is meant by the word motivated?" Students should go back and reread the text and use context clues to answer the question. It is important for students to recognize and practice these questions at an early age.

The best way to implement Word Work questions is for students to use their own writing. It is all about the questions that are being asked. For example, kindergarten students draw a picture of a farm, label the details in the picture and writes sentences about their picture. Questions asked should be, "What is a pond?" "Is a pond more like a lake or an ocean?" Students have to think about the ducks and the pond and use picture clues and prior knowledge to answer the questions. Once this questioning technique is understood and trusted by students, it is a valuable strategy for any type of assessment. Using the results from the assessments is also a powerful strategy to use in small flexible groups to meet the needs of all students.

A suggested structure for the Questioning Techniques is for schools to have a monthly focus for their questions. Just like the Comprehension Strategy of the Month, teachers model and apply one type of question throughout the month to ensure that students can understand and use them independently. Additional type questions can of course be used throughout the month, but this is the focus type question for the month.

Additional information for the Questioning Techniques can be found with the Connecting Learning to Assessments training, book and flipchart.