Ask, Pause and Call...
I have found that asking a question and then pausing draws students into the lesson. With the potential that a student may be chosen to answer a question, most students do not want to be caught off guard. Therefore, students tend to pay attention when they recognize that they may have to answer a question.
When a student is monopolizing those opportunities, I'll be sure and speak with him privately either after class or during a break. It's just as important to leave the students dignity intact and confronting them in front of the rest of the class can be disastrous. I also don't want to end up deterring the student from being inquisitive and studious, so it's always difficult to assess. Every situation is definitely unique.
This keeps the class attention also.
I couldn't agree more! Due to the fact that I began my teaching career in the elementary classroom setting, I would as, pause, and call multiple times a day. It doesn't matter the level or age of the student, effective questioning helps to tap into a student's prior knowledge and begins to develop the all important higher order thinking. When asking questions, I would also always pause for 3-5 seconds after the question, which is known as Wait Time, to give the students time to process the information. By doing this, they are given ample time to make connections between prior knowledge and the question being asked.
How do you avoid always having the same student answer all of the questions? I have that issue in class where no one else ever gets to answer - and after a few instances, no one seems to want to even try to answer. They just assume that the vocal student will.
Kendra,
I believe that this technique also helps to assure that the responses are provided by a greater number of the class members. There are usually some that can monopolize the class if we don't make it a point to call on others.
Dr. Mike
This is something I was taught many years ago. I have found it to be useful because the students will have to carefully think about the question and formulate a response. If you call on an individual and then ask the question, it takes the other class members out of the focus for thinking about a response for the question. The pressure is already placed and the other folks can take a bit of a "vacation." We want them to all be considering the question and bringing together their ideas into a response.
I believe it really keeps the students focused on what is being presented and thinking about how they can apply that presented information into quality responses. It certainly gives us a good opportunity for feedback on how well we are getting the information across to our students.
Mike
Absolutely right! All the more reason to draw them into the discussion. It's best if you can pique them into speaking on their own. However, sometimes we might have to call on them from time to time. The shy ones hate that, but they really do need to learn to get out of themselves.
Dr. Kendra Gaines
I really like this take on the pause after asking a question. I too have always found it a bit awkward, but will now look at it as a chance to draw people out.
Great point. I never thought about this before in the awkward pause after a question. This is actually an ideal method to draw them out.
Students want to contribute to the discussion. Yet, sometimes they for their shyness or lack of assertiveness will not step forward to participate.
Yes, that has been my experience. Also, students tend to enjoy the tension built up when they are not sure who will be called on next.
