Essentials of Socratic Questioning in

the Classroom

Mdm Masayu Mahmud

Woodgrove Secondary School

Agenda for the Day

Essential Questions for
Educators
C2015 issues
Why is questioning
important?
Socratic Questioning Method
Socratic Seminar
Benefits & Limitations
Pauls Taxonomy of Socratic
Questions
Group-Think-Share

Essential Questions for Educators

How do we educate the child born in 2000 to live,
work and compete in the flat world described
by Thomas Friedman?
How will this generation of children grow up with
the necessary knowledge and wisdom as defined
by the new 21st century taxonomies, to address
issues, problems and challenges when solutions
are complex and not easily definable and
accessible?
Most importantly, how will children have metacognitive prowess to explore deeper questions to
ponder and seek solutions to problems not yet
known?

'Effective questioning has greater potential

than any other teaching method for
stimulating student thinking' (Kissock &
Iyortsuun, 1982, p. ix)
'All our knowledge results from questions,
which is another way of saying that
question-asking is our most important
intellectual tool'
(Postman (1979), in Morgan and Saxton
(1991), p.9)

Why is teacher questioning in the

classroom important?

Questioning is important because

determines the level of knowledge

students bring to the lesson to help
gauge prior learning;
gauges understanding and
performance;
stimulates thinking;
helps clarify the ideas students hold;
encourages motivation through active
participation;
signals that we have an interest in
students' thoughts;
encourages problem solving;
helps students learn from one
another;
deepens thinking levels;
challenges beliefs and values;
aids in controlling student behaviour

Questioning
What is important to you when asking a
question?
What is important to you when asked a
question?

Remembering

Recalling information
Recognizing, Listing, Identifying, Naming,
Locating, Finding, Define, Memorize
Quiz, Definition, Fact, Worksheet, Test,
Label, List, Workbook, Reproduce,
Vocabulary

Understanding
Explaining ideas or concepts to construct
meaning
Summarizing, Inferring, Paraphrasing,
Classifying, Comparing, Describing
Recitation, Collection, Show and Tell,
Example, Quiz, Outline

Applying

Using information in another context

Solves problems, Calculates, Compiles,
Completes, Illustrates
Photograph, Illustration, Simulation,
Sculpture, Demonstration, Presentation,
Interview, Performance, Diary, Journal

Analyzing
Methodically separating into parts and
studying relationships
Comparing, Deconstructing, Organizing,
Attributing, Integrating
Graph, Spreadsheet, Rubric, Report,
Inquire, Investigate

Evaluating

Judging based on criteria

Critiquing, Testing, Measuring, Comparing
Assessing
Debate, Report, Presentation

Creating
Creating a new idea or product
Designing, Planning, Making, Modifying,
Takes risks
Tool, Program, Song, Art, Device

Application to Subjects
Science
Label a diagram of a leaf
Classify plants based on leaf structure
Compare and contrast leaf adaptation
Investigate how leaf structure is related to
the environment in which the plant grows
Design a new leaf structure that is able to
within all weather elements

Application to Subjects
Written Language
List rules for using a comma
Compare two writing samples for the use
of commas
Transform a rap song into proper written
English and comma usage.
Invent a new word to describe a specific
emotion.

Question Types and Outcomes

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by
Opportunities to
Respond How
often does the
teacher ask
questions or give
students a chance to
respond to the topic
at hand?

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by
Levels of Questions - Can
the teacher match specific
questions with the
appropriate instructional level
for that lesson? Do teachers
understand when certain
levels of questioning are the
most appropriate? Lower
level question are important.
They help teachers and
students scaffold and
prepare for other questions
that require deeper thought.

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by

Frequency How often

does the teacher ask
each level of question?
Do they almost only
ever ask Level 1 or
Level 3 questions? Do
the questions they ask
match goals of their
syllabus?

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by

Wait Time How long does the

teacher wait.after asking their
question? This is absolutely crucial to
eliciting better student answers.
Remember that students need time to
process their answers, especially for
higher level questions.
Strategies such as Think-Pair-Share
can help students do this. It is also
important to train students to know
that you expect an answer. The
silence may bother you as a teacher,
but remember that it also bothers your
students. Use this to your advantage.

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by
Wording of Questions How
does the wording of a question
impact student answers? Does
the question elicit a one-word or
yes/no answer? Does the
question have a definite right or
wrong answer? Are there a
multitude of ways to answer a
question correctly? Does the
question require students to
provide evidence to support
their opinion? There is no one
type of question students should
be asked, but how does the
wording impact the outcome?

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by
Use of Background Knowledge The
concept of background knowledge and
scaffolding is essential for students to
connect to knew learning. Strong
neural pathways in the brain are
created by connecting to pathways that
already exist, much like a system of
roads.
The
more
background
knowledge students have to draw upon
(content related or not) the better
answers they can devise. Consider
structuring
higher-level
thinking
activities so students can draw on that
background knowledge to make
stronger learning connections.

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by

Student Responses How

students respond to the teachers
questions can tell you a lot about
the discussion norms in a
classroom. Are they respectful of
others answers? Do they
intelligently contradict one
another with evidence? Do they
answer at all? Is there a broad
spectrum of the class involved in
the conversation or is it just 2 or
3 students? How easily can the
teacher recognize and redirect
students when needed?

Elements of Higher Level

Questioning
Questions to grow by
Teachers Response
The answers a teacher
gets can depend a great
deal on how the teacher
responds to student
answers. The teachers
responses can cause
students to keep their
mouths closed or inspire
them to deeper and more
creative ways of thinking.

Hence, how can we move from..

Class do you understand?

Do you have any questions?
So are you ready for a test?
What is?
Who is?

To.

In Socratic Questioning teachers help

studentsclarify their thinking by:

posing thought-provoking questions

rephrasing or asking additional questions
keeping the discussion focused
encouraging students to explain things to
each other
ensuring that students consider each
view; no views should be cut off, ignored,
or unfairly dismissed
breaking big questions or tasks into
smaller, more manageable parts
helping students to identify what they
need to know

How questions affect students thinking

Socratic Questioning Method

Refers to the question and answer method
of philosophizing (dialectic)
dialectic used by Socrates
in Platos early dialogues (e.g., Euthyphro),
often in conjunction with pretended
ignorance (Socratic irony),
irony whereby a selfprofessed experts over-confident claim to
knowledge is subverted.
More generally, Socratic method is any
philosophical or pedagogical method that
disinterestedly pursues truth through analytical
discussion.

Socrates Legacy
Using pointed questions, he defeated the
Sophists during public discussions in Athens,
who professed such things as
Real knowledge is not possible
Truth is a matter of preference
By revealing their reasoning (or lack of).
He, and Plato, popularized Philosophical Inquiry.

The unexamined life is not worth living.

Our Legacy, Too

Opponents of reason abound today

Sound bites, sales pitches (opinion-clogged airwaves)

Manipulative uses of data (Plain lies!)
Post-modern deconstructionists (todays sophists)
TV, www.com (passively received, unexamined, stuff !)
People dont question anymore (they just wait to talk)

Open, Socratic Questioning can help combat

the lack of deep examination of ones life and
course material that we see in our students.

How Is It Done?
Socratic Method
Usually, as depicted in Platos Dialogues, three
elements are evident;
1)

A problem is presented. Quite often it is

a question of definition, e.g., What is
justice? What is the good life? What is a
poem? What is a mixture?

2)

Through a series of questions, seemingly

simple yet apparently brilliant to the
observers, Socrates demonstrates the
fallacies or weaknesses of the definition
argued.
Generally, the dialectic, or dialogue, ends
without an agreed upon solution. Usually,
all conclude that they must pursue the
truth more vigorously.

3)

Example- Socratic Seminar: 9 th grade Literature

Topic: Love stinks, yeah yeah...
Purpose: To bring the whole-class reading of Romeo
and Juliet to a close and to spark interests to
pursue in independent readings.
Focus Concepts: Love, conflict
Lesson Sequence:
1. Socratic Seminar on the nature of love. Students
should always be guided to use specific examples
from Romeo and Juliet and other texts read in
class to provide evidence for their responses.
2. Seminar follow-up
a. Students list two important, unresolved
questions that the seminar provoked in them and
that theyd like to explore further
b. Students then use one or both of these
burning questions as the basis for their end-ofplay analytical essay.

Wherefore
art thou
Romeo?

Socratic Seminar: Love stinks

Seminar prompting questions:
Do you think Romeo and Juliet were
really in love? Why or why not?
What is love? Are there different types
of love?
Is love a basic human need, as basic
as the need for food and water?
How is love portrayed in the media?
How is this similar to or different from
how love is portrayed in Romeo and
Juliet? How accurate is this portrayal?
How much do you think the vision of
love depicted in Romeo and Juliet has
influenced our societys vision of
romantic love?
Does loving someone make us better
people? More selfish? How does it
affect us?
How do we choose who we love? Do
we choose who we love?
Can love be a destructive force? Is it
always a constructive force?
How are love and conflict related?

An Inconvenient Truth Socratic

Seminar

1. Why is it important to know what global warming/ climate

change is all about?
2. What are some of the reasons given to support the idea that
global warming is a result of human activity? Explain.
3. What are some arguments made to disagree with ideas
supporting global warming as a result of humans?
4. What are some of the reasons given to support the idea that
climate change is a result of natural causes? Explain.
5. What are some arguments made to disagree with ideas
supporting climate change as a result of natural causes?
6. What idea do you agree with? What are your reasons?
7. Is it possible for people to believe that climate change is the
result of natural causes AND to support efforts to reduce humans
impact on the atmosphere? Explain.
8. Our national government wants to make several changes in our
country to reduce and/or set requirements regarding amounts of
greenhouse gases allowed into the atmosphere. What would be
some of the positive and negative impacts on society if these
requirements are passed?
9. In the last year, information has been found that some of the
claims made of human impact on global warming were false/lies.
How does this information influence your opinion of human
impact? What about your opinion about how much government
money should be spent?

Employing Socratic Questioning

Teacher probes the assumptions and personal
experiences and scientific data underlying a
students argument.
Student asks teacher to clarify, and about possible
consequences of an approach presented in
class.
Teacher asks students to role play each-others
points of view, and to investigate factual
information to determine the accuracy of media.
The Result ????

The Result?

A well cultivated critical thinker:

raises vital questions and
problems, formulating them clearly
and precisely;
gathers and assesses relevant
information, using abstract ideas
to interpret it effectively comes to
well-reasoned conclusions and
solutions, testing them against
relevant criteria and standards;
thinks openmindedly within
alternative systems of thought,
recognizing and assessing, as
need be, their assumptions,
implications, and practical
consequences; and
communicates effectively with
others in figuring out solutions to
complex problems.

Limitations of Socratic Seminar in

Classroom setting
Limitations
Time; Class size; Content delivery is slow
Can go in unproductive directions if not well directed by
teacher
Most effective in small groups

Strengths
Clarifies, deepens, strengthens understanding
Of Elements and Standards of reasoning
And of theirs and others Intellectual Traits

Engages and Elucidates students thinking

On the spot!
Generates After Burn reflection / cogitation.

How do we apply this in our

classroom?

Instead of diving into Socratic Seminar, we adopt a model by Paul,

Elder & Bartell (1997) which states six levels of Socratic
Questioning.

1.Clarification: To gather more information about a statement by

asking tell me more type of questions.
2.Probing assumptions: To challenge and explore preconceived
beliefs, values, perceptions, etc.
3.Asking for reasons, evidence or causes
4.Probing perspectives: To debate and offer alternative viewpoints
and perceptions.
5.Exploring implications and consequences: To think ahead about
what will happen if the current argument is true.
6.Questions about the question: To question the original question
and challenge one's own thinking and reasoning.

How to use the Socratic Method in

the Classroom?
Tips for the Teacher

Plan significant questions that provide structure and direction to the lesson.

Phrase the questions clearly and specifically.

Wait Time: Maintain silence and wait at least 5 to 10 seconds for students to respond.

Keep the discussion focused.

Follow up on students' responses and invite elaboration.

Stimulate the discussion with probing questions.

Periodically summarize (e.g., on blackboard or overhead projector) what has been discussed.

Draw as many students as possible into the discussion.

Do not pose yes/no questions, as they do little to promote thinking or encourage discussion.

Do not pose questions that are vague, ambiguous, or beyond the level of the students.

Further information on developing and guiding questioning.

Role of the Student
Before an exercise in thoughtful questioning, it is helpful if the teacher tells students that they are expected to
do the following:

Participate when called upon.

Answer questions as carefully and clearly as possible.

Address the whole class so that everyone can hear their answers.

Be as succinct as possible in the interest of maximizing classroom time and effectiveness.

Questions of Clarification

Get students to think more about what exactly they are asking or
thinking about. Prove the concepts behind their argument. Basic 'tell
me more' questions that get them to go deeper.

What do you mean by

What is your main point?
Why are you saying that?
What exactly does this mean?
How does this relate to what we have been talking about?
What is the nature of ...?
What do we already know about this?
Can you give me an example?
Are you saying ... or ... ?
Can you rephrase that, please?

Questions that Probe Assumptions

Probing of assumptions makes them think about the presuppositions and
unquestioned beliefs on which they are founding their argument. This is
shaking the bedrock and should get them really going!
What else could we assume?
You seem to be assuming ... ?
How did you choose those assumptions?
Please explain why/how ... ?
How can you verify or disprove that assumption?
What would happen if ... ?
Do you agree or disagree with ... ?
What are you assuming?
What is ***** assuming?
What could we assume instead?
You seem to be assuming _____. Do I understand you correctly?
You seem to be assuming _____. How do you justify this as your position?
All of your reasoning is dependent on the fact that _____.
Why have you based your reasoning on ____ rather than ____?

Questions that probe reason &

evidence

When they give a rationale for their arguments, dig into that reasoning rather
than assuming it is a given. People often use un-thought-through or weakly
understood supports for their arguments.
Why is that happening?
How do you know this?
Show me ... ?
Can you give me an example of that?
What do you think causes ... ?
What is the nature of this?
Are these reasons good enough?
Would it stand up in court?
How might it be refuted?
How can I be sure of what you are saying?
Why is ... happening?
Why? (keep asking it -- you'll never get past a few times)
What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
On what authority are you basing your argument?

Questions about viewpoints &

perspectives
Most arguments & discussions are given from a particular position.
So attack the position. Show that there are other, equally valid,
viewpoints.

Another way of looking at this is ..., does this seem reasonable?

What alternative ways of looking at this are there?
Why it is ... necessary?
Who benefits from this?
What is the difference between... and...?
Why is it better than ...?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
How are ... and ... similar?
What would ... say about it?
What if you compared ... and ... ?
How could you look another way at this?

Questions that probe implications and

consequences
The argument that they give may have logical implications
that can be forecast. Do these make sense? Are they
desirable?
Then what would happen?
What are the consequences of that assumption?
How could ... be used to ... ?
What are the implications of ... ?
How does ... affect ... ?
How does ... fit with what we learned before?
Why is ... important?
What is the best ... ? Why?

Questions about the question

And you can also get reflexive about the whole
thing, turning the question in on itself. Use their
attack against themselves. Bounce the ball back
into their court, etc.
What was the point of asking that question?
Why do you think I asked this question?
What does that mean?
What was the point of this question?
How does...apply to everyday life?

Lets try

Classify the following

questions

GEOGRAPHY
1) What is global warming?
2) What are the factors
contributing to global
warming?
3) How do you know the earth is
getting warmer? What
evidence supports your
answer?

Lets try.
HISTORY
Do historians make
value judgments in
deciding what to
include and what to
leave out?
Why do historical
facts differ from one
view to another?
How can we begin to
judge a historical
point of view?

Lets try.
MATHEMATICS
What does a fraction
mean to you?
Where do you use
fractions?
Can you give me an
example of a fraction?
Where do you see
fractions?
Why are fractions
important?

Examples of Geographical
questions

Bloom's Taxonomy

Socratic Questioning

Question foci

Which was the better strategy Evaluation

to use?
Which management choice is
likely to have the most positive
impact?
Why is the study of volcanoes
important?

Questions about the

question

Assess, judge, evaluate,

compare and contrast

What conclusions can you

Synthesis
draw from the experiment?
Reflecting on the supposed
causes of global warming what
would you do?

Questions that probe

implications and
consequences

Reflect, predict, speculate,

design, create, combine,
hypothesise

Why did this NGO decide this Analysis

was the most appropriate way
of dealing with the problem?
What is the function of
regeneration projects?

Questions of viewpoints and Explain, infer, draw

perspectives
conclusions, prioritise

Why?
Why does the climate graph
for Kathmandu show this
pattern?

Application

Questions that probe

reasons and evidence

Use, interpret, use in a new

context, relate

How do waves erode the

coast?
Describe the climate graph.

Comprehension

Questions that probe

assumptions

Explain, summarise, describe,

compare

What is the capital city of

Germany?
What is the name for a multichannelled river?

Knowledge

Questions of Clarification

Define, recall, describe

Types of Questions

Concept/Issue: Deforestation

Questions of Clarification

Where are the tropical rainforests located in

the world?

Questions that probe assumptions

Why are they located near the equator?

Questions that probe reason and evidence

Suggest some reasons why tropical

rainforests are being logged? What are the
cleared lands being used for and why?

Questions about viewpoints or perspectives

What is the alternative to commercial

logging? How does deforestation impact
indigenous people and pharmaceutical
companies?

Questions that probe implications and

consequences

What are the consequences of large scale

deforestation all over the world? What are
the short term and long term impacts?

Questions about the question

Why are tropical rainforests important in the

first place? How has slash and burn
agriculture affecting rates of deforestation?
Who is looking into reversing the problem?
How successful have the strategies been?

Group-Think-Share
In your groups decide on a concept that you
want to discuss on and design 6 types of
questions based on the concept.

Some Practical Rules

A Socratic questioner should:
Plan significant questions that provide structure and
direction to the lesson.
Phrase the questions clearly and specifically.
Wait Time: Maintain silence and wait at least 5 to 10
seconds for students to respond.
Keep the discussion focused.
Follow up on students' responses and invite
elaboration.
Stimulate the discussion with probing questions.
Periodically summarize (e.g., on blackboard or
overhead projector) what has been discussed.
Draw as many students as possible into the
discussion.
Do not pose yes/no questions, as they do little to
promote thinking or encourage discussion.
Do not pose questions that are vague, ambiguous, or
beyond the level of the students.

"Good questions recognize the wide

possibilities of thought and are built
around varying forms of thinking.
Good questions are directed toward
learning and evaluative thinking
rather than determining what has
been learned in a narrow sense" N
M Sanders

Reflections
Identify the taxonomy levels evident in
your lesson
List the questions within the lesson
List possible student questions
How might you provide opportunities for
higher-order thinking?

Questioning Is Integral to
Good Reasoning

Reasoning Is Integral to
Good Questioning

Thank You

QnA