Author: John Milton

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (Melbourne)

Keywords: questioning techniques, student discussion

Article style and source: Teaching tip

Contents

• Do you want to facilitate student discussion? Then do not ask questions!
• References

Do you want to facilitate student discussion? Then do not ask questions!

This advice seems contrary to current ways of thinking about teaching. Surely we seek the right questions to help us find out what students know and then make judgements about students' knowledge? Well, maybe, but not if you are wanting to facilitate student discussion according to Dillon.

Teacher questions do not stimulate student thinking and they do not encourage participation. They depress student thought and talk. Answering teacher questions introduces a passive, dependent, reactive, defensive dynamic to the student discussion. The focus is taken away from the student group to the teacher. Responsibility for all that the group does, comes to rest with the teacher, not the group.

No questions! So what alternatives are there to sustain a discussion?

One key idea is to use statements as your input to the discussion: state your thoughts in relation to what the speaker has said. Here are some examples:

• If a student has said `X is the case' you can inform the group of your thoughts that `Y is the case' or `Y, related to X, seems to me to be the case'. Your statement need not be contradictory - just honest to your view as an equal participant in the discussion and related in some way to what the student has said.
• State your understanding of what the student has just said, giving your sense of it in an economical manner, perhaps drawing on your discipline-related knowledge.
• Describe in truth the state of your mind, and none other, in relation to what the speaker has just been saying. If you are confused, say where your confusion lies; if you do not understand, state what points you do not understand. If you are excited by the new view, highlight what makes you excited. If your interest has been awakened and you want to hear more, explain what interests you (inviting further clarification).
• Relate what one speaker has said to what another has said. The two speakers (and others in the group) can examine the two contributions for any relation they may have and go on to discuss them.

• If a student is struggling to think and articulate a view, you might say 'relax for a minute and think about the question that's still bothering you about that'.
• A student has just said that something is the case. 'Let's take a minute to hear the question that somebody here may be thinking about that.'
• 'Maybe it is time now to hear a few suggestions as to the kind of questions we should be asking now, given everything that has been said up to this point.'

Clearly through all the discussion it is vital to maintain a disposition which values the students' contributions, which is honest about one's thoughts and which treats all as equals. Personally, I see the greatest benefit of this self-imposed discipline (to avoid questions) is that it 'forces' us, the teachers, to be more at one with the student group.

Those who are interested can find more suggestions in Dillon, 1994, though judgement WILL be needed to adapt his advice to your context in higher education.

If you wish to explore the useful contexts and practices of questioning in teaching you may like to refer to Dillon, 1988. Both his books refer to research which backs up his advice.

A final word: you can test the principles and ideas discussed above in any social context where you may be perceived as having some authority, even at home! Avoid questioning and observe closely the results.

References

Dillon J. 1994, Using discussion in classrooms, Buckingham: Open University Press.

About the author

Email: j.milton@rmit.edu.au