Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Kauchak Article!
Kauchak’s article talks about three functions of teacher’s questions. The three functions are assessing current understanding, increasing learner motivation, and guided new learning. By asking certain questions teachers can evaluate their student’s current knowledge and understanding of a certain subject. By asking questions teachers can find out what there students do or do not know or what they think about a certain topic. Another reason that asking questions is helpful is to increase motivation in students. Effective and useful questions engage students and help to challenge their thinking. It helps them think about more questions or problems that they need to consider. Questions can also help guide new learning by helping students connect new ideas and incorporate their new learning with their existing knowledge. Guided questions from the teacher can help students to be active in their own learning by directing and steering them towards new concepts. Technology can play a very important role in helping teachers accomplish these three functions of questioning. We have learned that technology can be helpful in motivating and keeping student’s attention while in class. A great example of using technology to help in questioning would be to have a Power Point presentation on the concept you are trying to teach with questions on slides that you students can actually see. You could also have short video clips or audio and then ask students questions following these activities. This way you are doing more than just standing at the front of the classroom asking them questions. These could be helpful ways to keep students attention focused on the lesson.Labels: discussions