OPEN AND CLOSED QUESTIONS

Closed questions, like questions 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10, are the most common questions used in teaching. The students are being asked to supply an answer which the teacher already knows. They are mainly testing questions, to find out what the students know. They do not usually encourage students to think, only to remember. A reply is given quickly, so students are only involved in the session for a short time.

Open questions, like 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9, are in many ways more effective in teaching, and yet most teachers use them very little. They make students think for themselves. They draw on the students’ own experience, and encourage them to give their own opinions. They demand longer answers. Many students may give different answers, and they may lead to dialogue or discussion. More students are involved in the session.

When teaching, therefore, you should use open questions as well as closed ones.

WHOLE CLASS OR INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS?

A question may either be directed to the whole class, so anyone can offer an answer, or to one named individual.

Whole class questions are the most commonly used, but are less effective. The same more confident, or knowledgeable, students often answer them each time. They test the understanding of these few students, not the whole class.

They are more effective if they are open, so many students can offer answers. They may be useful to start discussion: “ What do you think of … ?” Even then, however, some students may never volunteer an answer, and it is good to ask some individually: “What do you think, Mary?”

“Have you understood?” “Any questions?”

These are the worst questions to ask Solomon Islands classes. Usually there will be no response, or people may even say, “Yes we have understood”, when they haven’t. This is again relates to the ‘shame’ of admitting in public that you haven’t understood, especially if it looks as if everyone else has. The only way to test if a class has understood, is to ask specific questions to a series of individuals.

Individual questions

These are the most effective as they test each individual, encourage even the quieter students to try to give ideas, and can be used to involve a large number of students. Remember to give the students time to think of the answer.

The main thing is again ‘shame’, especially with girls in a mixed class. It is best not to force people to answer, but perhaps talk to such students privately to encourage them to try.

Hands up?

In the classes of adults, which most RTCs have, there is no need to insist on this.

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