Teacher Resources

Pedagogy Enhancements

Guiding Questions

The teacher in the globalization lesson, Shagufta Ellam, had students develop their own guiding questions. Her students learned to create their own questions over time, using the template shown here as a guide. Why bother to have students develop their own guiding questions? Why not just give them guiding questions to use? Shagufta answers, “You’ve got to realize that when it becomes the student’s own, that’s when they are invested. You are trying to engage learners here.”

QUESTIONING FOR QUALITY THINKING

Evaluation—Development of opinions, judgments, or decisions.

Do you agree______________________________?

What do you think about_____________________?

What is the most important___________________?

Prioritize_________________________________?

How would you decide about_________________?

What criteria would you use to asses___________?


Synthesis—Combination of ideas to form a new whole

What would you predict/infer from_____________?

What ideas can you add to____________________?

How would you create/design a new____________?

What solutions would you suggest for___________?


Analysis—Separation of a whole into component parts

What are the parts or features of________________?

Classify___________ according to_______________.

Outline/diagram/web__________________________.

How does___ compare/contrast with______________?

What evidence can you list for___________________?


Application—Use of facts, rules, principles

How is____________ an example of______________?

How is______________ related to________________?

Why is________________________ significant?


Comprehension—Organize and selection facts and ideas.

Retell________________________ In your own words.

What is the main idea of________________________?


Knowledge—Identification and recall of information

Who, what, when, where, why, how________________?

Describe______________________________________?