How do answer/respond to a question that was just answered?
How do you respond to a student who asks a question I have answered within the last 5 - 10 minutes? Is it insulting to ask another student to answer it?
When a student asks a previously answered question I refer back to the lecture & tell them where in the reading to find the answer. I also like to ask if they are confused and if I need to give a better example or explaination. Each student learns differently and sometimes just repeating the answer will help to student undertand the material.
Hi Shannon, Thanks for sharing a good suggestion! Susan
Susan Polick
I will refer back to the material that was just covered from a different aspect. For instance, when dealing with concentration to express drug content of a product, I may refer to the units that express concentration vesus giving the worded definition of this term again.
Hi Donna, Thanks for your post to the forum. It is often so difficult for students for whom English is a second language. Your approach is empathetic without being patronizing. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Susan Polick
Sometimes I have an occasional student who is bilingual and struggling a bit with understanding the English language. They understand but take a bit longer to comprehend. If they ask a question that was just answered, I answer the question and direct the student where they can find more information in their textbook. I also suggest that if they have questions they can see me either before class or after so that we can discuss them in more detail.
What I like to do it to redirect the answer back to the student or the class.
First, I make sure the student was actually listening to the lecture when the answer was given, if so, then I redirect the question to the class to assist the student.
If the student was not paying attention during lecture, and I know this as fact, I redirect the student to the textbook and remind the student about the importance of attention during a lecture.
So each scenario is different.
Hi Allen, I especially like that you reference the pages in the textbook to find the relevant information! Best wishes- Susan
Susan Polick
I like to refrais my question and offer the area in thier text book that expands more on that subject.That way if others were not understanding the answer(or not paying attention)they have the opportunity to get the information without sounding critical of thier attention.
Hi Jennie, You are clearly a very emphathetic instructor - Bravo! Susan
I believe I am more sensitive. Even if I felt that the best answer could be " where have you been the past 5 minutes when I answered this question?, I will never do it; There are students who are careless and are always lost as well as there are students who have some disease such as Hypothyroidism. They are really smart, intelligent but slow to process new information and they have lost their short memory especially when the teacher is not applying this student' learning style.
So, in summary , i will be more sensitive giving the benefit to the doubt. I normally answer with a smile, " I am happy to repeat the answer, learning process includes a process of repetition"
Redirecting a question to another student is a great way to respond to a question that was just answered. The instructor should however, be conscious of his or her body language that may say
"I just answered that question you dummy."
Hi Ann - I think that would be a good strategy to use with that student! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Jeez- that's a good question! I have a student who is not a visual or auditory learner, and must read and reread everything in order to understand it. She frequently asks questions that were JUST asked/answered. It is often frustrating to me and the class. I've varied my response to her- I've said 'Look it up', asked another student to answer (which can backfire, as the students are frequently so annoyed with her that they answer in a snippy manner) or told her that she needs to listen more closely. I think after this lesson, that I'll suggest that she read all material BEFORE lecture and write down all questions she has during lecture, unless the answer prohibits her from understanding the rest of the lecture. An interesting issue!
Hi - Thanks for your post to the forum. Your response to the question was well put as the context is very important. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
It depends on the student, the question asked and the dynamics of the class at the time. I'll repeat an answer if I note that others appear confused. I may ask the student what they understood from my previous answer then expound on it. I may find a different way to answer the same question in an effort to cater to the learning style of the student
I vary in my responses:
I ask the student what he/she thinks the answer might be.
I repeat the original answer.
I ask another student if he/she can answer the question.
At times, before I get to respond , one of the classmates will acknowledge that the question had already been asked and then give the answer.
