Today I have 4 quick tips for you when asking students questions in your class. Plus, these work awesome in any subject! So let's get started!

Allow for those awkward moments of silence in your classroom. Embrace them. If students don’t answer your question right away, it will be okay, I promise!

Count to 5 in your head, and then ask the question in the same exact way! Asking the same question, but in different ways, often times leads to confusion. Your students are now trying to process 2 questions instead of just one even though they both are the same question! Again, don't be afraid of the silence. Kids need time to process the question before another is thrown at them. 

If after a couple of times you’ve given the same question in the same phrasing and they still don't understand, then its time to rephrase. Again, even if you have to rephrase, wait for a little bit to give the students time to process the question. Don’t fill that empty space with more questions or information. 

Once the student finally processes the question, whether when its first asked or later,  try responding with the phrase “Tell me more.” This gets the student to think deeper. Often times students will only give you those surface-level answers. By using those three words you give students a chance to think deeper and on a higher level. And don't be afraid of a little silent processing time. 

Start implementing these tips into your everyday classroom routine and you’ll see a much larger response from your students!

If you enjoyed today’s lesson you can find this post and many more on iTunes, Spotify, or Alexa Briefings. Click here to listen

*Clipart from A Sketchy Guy. View his store at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/A-Sketchy-Guy

Happy teaching!
Jen

Follow me on Facebook
Join me on Instagram {@jenbengel5}
See what’s new on Pinterest
To see more literacy support visit jenbengel.com