Questioning

[carmentiris]

I was wondering if anyone had creative ways to call on students to respond to your questions. I've already used names on popsicle sticks and throwing the ball to students.
Are there any new and exciting ideas?
Thanks for the help.

[BigDaddyTeacher]

Grab a standard deck of playing cards, and write the first names of your students on the pip'd side of the cards. As you lecture, quietly take out the deck and begin shuffling the cards. The motion and the noise will draw their attention towards you, even though they have no idea what you have planned. When you're ready to start asking questions, stop the shuffle, ask the question, flip over the top card, and call the name that appears there.
It's similar to the popsicle stick way, but I find the cards easier to handle. Plus, when you reshuffle after a spirited round, it wakes up the kids who have already answered.

[Unregistered]

Hey, how's about calling them by their name! That would be such a creative change! Or you could learn each child's name in sign language!

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

Hey, how's about calling them by their name!

But how do you choose the students? That is the question.

I like pinochle decks for classes of 24 or fewer, since the deck contains duplicates of each card. The method isn't that important, as long as the students think it is perfectly random.

[Unregistered]

But how do you choose the students? That is the question.

I like pinochle decks for classes of 24 or fewer, since the deck contains duplicates of each card. The method isn't that important, as long as the students think it is perfectly random.


I use popsticks with kid's names on it. spoons work too.

[Unregistered]

I use popsticks with kid's names on it. spoons work too.


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........never realized the importance of all this!

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

Probably the best thing a teacher can do is quit calling on raised hands and start calling on nonvolunteers randomly.

[KatieBee]

As an avid handraiser in school I will say that that is frustrating, you don't want to discourage the handraisers from raising their hand! I like the card idea best of the ones that have been put on here. Definitely pay more attention to kids you're trying to draw out (don't always have to show them whos name was on the card!), but give everyone a fair go!

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

As an avid handraiser in school I will say that that is frustrating, you don't want to discourage the handraisers from raising their hand!

Well, the name you call doesn't actually have to be the one on the Popsicle stick. :D

With enough time, children will quit raising their hands when they realize you call students at random. This practice will prompt all students to think about answers to the questions, not just the smarter kids.

Now, if you have a really juicy question that you know your smarter kids want to answer, then ask the question and tell them you will pick a random student. Then after sufficiet time, go ahead and call for volunteers. The trick is to make every kid in class think he will be chosen after the question has been asked.

Let me irate: Calling on raised hands is a bad habit for teachers to develop.

[Unregistered]

In a class discussion, I try not to call on the same person twice. This helps give even the most quiet a chance. Try and ask lots of questions so everyone gets a turn. The kids know who has gone and who hasn't.

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

In a class discussion, I try not to call on the same person twice.

So once a kid answers a question, they no longer have to tune in because they know they won't be called?

[Unregistered]

Learn the students names, you expect them to know yours !
Always ask the dumb ones first - repeatidily ! Humiliation is a great teaching tool.

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

We need a mandatory age requirement for this board.

[Unregistered]

I like to use the equity card method (names on cards). I let the students decorate their own equity cards because it helps them buy into the technique. Before I draw a card, I have the students do a think-pair-share. They turn to their neighbor and discuss the answer for 30 seconds. Then I call the person on the top card to share. If a student doesn't know the answer or needs more time, I put the card aside and come back to it later. And I NEVER accept "I don't know" as an answer.

[Unregistered]

I agree Lisa, but would that not exclude you for being too old?
You sound like a teacher that I used to work with. She had been teaching for 15 + years and thought that she had 15 years experience. She did not. She had 1 years experience and it was 15 years old!

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

I agree Lisa, but would that not exclude you for being too old?
You sound like a teacher that I used to work with. She had been teaching for 15 + years and thought that she had 15 years experience. She did not. She had 1 years experience and it was 15 years old!

Could you please elaborate? I have no idea which post or points you are responding.

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

I like to use the equity card method (names on cards). I let the students decorate their own equity cards because it helps them buy into the technique. Before I draw a card, I have the students do a think-pair-share. They turn to their neighbor and discuss the answer for 30 seconds. Then I call the person on the top card to share. If a student doesn't know the answer or needs more time, I put the card aside and come back to it later. And I NEVER accept "I don't know" as an answer.

Sounds like a good technique. I especially like the fact that you come back to the student who didn't previously know the answer.

[BigDaddyTeacher]

Sounds like a good technique. I especially like the fact that you come back to the student who didn't previously know the answer.

I agree - should I call on a kid who is not sure, I allow the answer "I don't know yet."
This allows the student to make an effort to find the answer to the question; then they ask to be called on again once it has been found.

great morale bulider!

[Unregistered]

I agree - should I call on a kid who is not sure, I allow the answer "I don't know yet."
This allows the student to make an effort to find the answer to the question; then they ask to be called on again once it has been found.

great morale bulider!


I love that idea! "I don't know yet" really sends the right message. I can see this helping students to believe in themselves. For me, when a student responds with "I don't know," I ask, "If you did know, what would you say?" This works a lot of the time!

[Unregistered]

Probably the best thing a teacher can do is quit calling on raised hands and start calling on nonvolunteers randomly.

But calling on nonvolunteers usually results in a dead conversation and an embarrassed student. The good thing is that the student may learn to pay attention and be ready to be called on, but I find I get so many blank stares and shrugs when I call on someone without their hand up. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying, what next?

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

But calling on nonvolunteers usually results in a dead conversation and an embarrassed student. The good thing is that the student may learn to pay attention and be ready to be called on, but I find I get so many blank stares and shrugs when I call on someone without their hand up. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm just saying, what next?

A few things:

1. Make sure you taught the material before you question on it.

2. When a student struggles, have them "dial a friend" for help, or ask another student. Most importantly, go back to that struggling student and make sure he can respond correctly before proceeding.

3. If the question is high order Blooms, make them think you will call on nonvolunteers after asking the question. Then after a sufficient wait time, go ahead and ask for volunteers.

4. If you get more than one shrug per question, then you need to go back and re-teach the material -- the kids' didn't "get it."

As for embarrassment, it is better for them to be embarrassed now then behind later. Once this method of questioning becomes part of the regimen the number of shrugs will vanish.

[abrhles01]

This is a good one..after reading this I started thinking about the methods that I'm currently using (I'm a Kindergarten student teacher)..I haven't taught any whole group lessons only small group (5-6 students)..when I have done whole group activities (calendar) I usually call on those with hands up and attentive. It works sometimes but now I notice that some students still don't raise their hand. I use the method of "looking for the quiet ones with their hands up and sitting on their bottoms" for management purposes. Kindergarteners are all over the place and oft times look for approval (neg. by ignoring their behaviors and pos. by calling on them and complimenting them)..I think what I'm trying to say is that is it possible to reach a happy medium?

[Lisa's Hotscakes]

The best compimenting you can make is to repeat their answer to the rest of the class.

I would use playing cards, and let the kids pick the cards. They love it! Just don't present the cards until the students have had time to think of an answer, otherwise their mind will be on picking the card and not the question.

I usually call on those with hands up and attentive.

This trains kids at an early age that they can simply opt out of the educational process by being quiet. I highly suggest not doing this. Instead, pick them at random. (And if you really, really want to pick on a certain student, go ahead and pretend his card was picked. Just make him think the process was random.)

[Unregistered]

Learn the students names, you expect them to know yours !
Always ask the dumb ones first - repeatidily ! Humiliation is a great teaching tool.

I really hope that you are not a teacher . Teacher's do not use cards or sticks because we do not know our students names we use those tools to keep the students attention. And by the way humilation is never a good tool to use when teaching.

[eloisai]

Hmm maybe having your students's nickname written on miniature balls to be placed in a box might be a nice idea. Probably during recitation you can toss the box around the class, and then when you say "stop" the class will stop passing the box around, then the last student who got the box will have to pick a ball and then call on the name that is written on the ball. The students might enjoy this, but this can be a little time-consuming.

[jmikulski]

Either when reading out loud or during discussions, I'll sometimes start by choosing a student, and then allowing him/her to choose the next student, and so on. Chances are they will choose their friends, so it tends to keep everyone focused, especially when their buddies are answering.

Also, when the kids are in rows, I will ask a student a question, and then immediately ask them for a number from one to five. Whatever that number is, I will count either horizontally or diagonally through the rows to get to the next student. It's kind of like lottery calling, but it also gives you some say in who will be chosen since you can decide which direction to go.

[ian23]

eloisai have a great idea...