How and Why Questions

One way to describe what the CLASS assessment is looking for in the Instructional Support section (biggest single point getter in Early Achievers) is,

"How do you encourage children to think for themselves?"

One way to do this is to ask lots of Why and/or How questions.  Challenge children to think about the how's and why's of learning.  Focus their attention on the process of generating solutions to a problem rather than just getting the correct answer.  Ask open-ended and thought-provoking questions, such as, "Why doesn’t this shape belong with the others"

Encourage reasoning skills.  Problem solving.  Predictions.  Comparisons.  Evaluating results.

Use this in conversation, when reading stories, during free play...

How would you feel if...

Why do you think that happens...

How could...

Why would...



Open-ended questions encourage children to:

• use language. Instead of just answering ‘yes’ or ‘no (answers closed-ended questions often prompt)’, children need to give fuller answers that draw on a wider range of vocabulary. Hint: encourage children to use whole sentences when answering rather than just fragments or phrases.

• think about their answers and give details to reasonably answer the question.

• elaborate with details, express thoughts or offer an opinion

• be creative

• think of new ideas

• use imagination

• give more information

• problem-solve and use cognitive (intellectual) skills. Children must search for vocabulary and form sentences which conveys thoughts, opinions, ideas, etc. rather than simply answering “yes” or “no”

• build relationships. Children become more invested in the conversation when they have to actively engage in it with full sentences. They are able to relate something of meaning and respond to the person/people with whom they are communicating. In this way, open-ended questions be used to positively build and deepen relationships.

Take a tally - how many how/why questions do you ask during a 30 minute segment of the day?  Remember, CLASS is looking for frequency and high quality!