Challenging Learning Through Questioning

Better questioning for better learning Questioning is a process that sparks discussion and encourages deeper thinking. Effective questioning builds on students’ natural curiosity, moving them out of their comfort zone and into the learning zone in a purposeful, accessible way. It also models the process of good thinking and fosters a culture of high expectations. Like any skill, questioning takes practice. With this insightful guide, you’ll reframe your thinking and fine-tune the three essential questioning skills—know your intent, plan your responses, and stay purposefully silent—to elicit noticeably improved responses from students. Features include · Questioning sequences that work in any discipline · Techniques for deepening learning through questioning · Organizational strategies for pair, small-group, and whole-class dialogues · Best practices for balancing questioning, thinking tools, and strategic silences · Exercises, activities, and review and reflection sections High-quality questioning supports a culture in which students are not only challenged, but expect to be challenged, and where they flourish intellectually. Through your questioning, you’ll give them the tools they need to become thoughtful, confident, and independent learners.

Better questioning for better learning Effective questioning builds on natural curiosity, moving students out of their comfort zone and into the learning zone in a purposeful, accessible way. With this insightful guide, you’ll fine-tune the three essential skills of questioning—know your intent, plan your responses, and stay purposefully silent—to elicit noticeably improved responses from students. Features include · Questioning sequences that work in any discipline · Techniques for deepening learning through questioning · Organizational strategies for pair, small-group, and whole-class dialogues · Best practices for balancing questioning, thinking tools, and strategic silences · Exercises, activities, and review and reflection sections

Using classroom discussions to teach good habits of thinking Research shows that classroom discussion has a major effect on student learning. So, how do we get students to talk more? Challenging Learning Through Dialogue transforms the most up-to-date research into practical strategies that work. Readers will learn How to build in more “wait-time” for better quality thinking and questioning from students How to use dialogue to teach reasoning, collaboration, and good habits of thinking The three types of dialogue and how to teach the most effective version: exploratory talk Dozens of practical strategies for exploratory dialogue Global examples of fun ways to teach dialogue

Challenging Learning includes some of the most up-to-date and impressive research on teaching and learning, covering Feedback, Application, Challenge, Thinking, and Self esteem. These are supported by lesson plans and effective teaching strategies including the Teaching Target, Learning Challenge and ASK models.

Using feedback to enhance learning Feedback has the potential to dramatically improve student learning – if done correctly. In fact, providing high quality feedback is one of the most critical roles of a teacher. But if feedback is not done correctly it can have a minimal – or even negative effect – on learning. Challenging Learning Through Feedback provides educators with the tools they need to establish clear learning intentions and success criteria in order to craft high quality feedback and avoid common feedback mistakes. Readers will learn When feedback is (and isn’t) working How to design feedback so that it answers three essential questions Strategies for crafting clear Learning Intentions and Success Criteria How to teach students to give high quality feedback to themselves and others Written by educational innovators James Nottingham and Jill Nottingham, this book is full of specific examples for educators who want to understand the qualities of excellent feedback and how to craft it. "Feedback – a noun or a verb? A separate practice or an integral part of the learning process? Something we do ‘to students’ or ‘with students’? The Nottinghams sort it all out for us – the ‘what,’ ‘why,’ and ‘how’ of the process and the practice of feedback." Barb Pitchford, Co-author Leading Impact Teams: Building a Culture of Efficacy (2016) "Finally a practical book on feedback for teachers! It is written with the teacher in mind, lesson plan in hand, and relevant to all in education. The perfect school-wide study book!" Lisa Cebelak, Education Consultant Grand Rapids, MI

Dialogue is one of the best vehicles for learning how to think, how to be reasonable, how to make moral decisions and how to understand another person's point of view. It is supremely flexible, instructional, collaborative, and rigorous. At its very best, dialogue is one of the best ways for participants to learn good habits of thinking. There is also substantial evidence that teachers currently talk too much in classes, often only waiting .8 seconds after asking a question before jumping in with the answer if a student doesn't quickly volunteer. This book guides teachers through the different types of dialogue and how they can be used to enhance students' learning.

Using classroom discussions to teach good habits of thinking Classroom discussion has a major effect on student learning. In fact, dialogue is one of the best vehicles for learning how to think, make moral decisions, and understand another person’s point of view. Research also indicates that most teachers talk too much in the classroom and don’t wait long enough for students to respond. How do we improve the quality of classroom discussion? Challenging Learning Through Dialogue transforms the most up-to-date research into practical strategies that work. Readers will learn How to build in more "wait-time" for better quality thinking and questioning from students How to use dialogue to teach reasoning, collaboration, and good habits of thinking The three types of dialogue and how to teach the most effective version: exploratory talk Dozens of practical strategies for exploratory dialogue Global examples of fun ways to teach dialogue An innovative new instructional strategy called Classroom Mysteries Written by an internationally known team of educational innovators, this book is for all educators who aim to use effective classroom dialogue to engage students in learning. "This valuable book is a must for teachers and families who wish to have their children learn to think and communicate with greater precision and clarity." Arthur L. Costa, Ed. D., Professor Emeritus California State University Sacramento and Co-Director, International Institute for Habits of Mind "James Nottingham’s work on Challenging Learning is a critical element of creating Visible Learners. This new series will help teachers hone the necessary pedagogical skills of dialogue, feedback, questioning, and mindset." John Hattie, Professor & Director, Melbourne Education Research Institute University of Melbourne

Embrace challenge and celebrate Eureka! Challenge makes learning more interesting. That’s one of the reasons to encourage your students to dive into the learning pit—a state of cognitive conflict that forces students to think more deeply, critically, and strategically until they discover their “eureka” moment. Nottingham, an internationally known author and consultant, will show you how to promote challenge, dialogue, and a growth mindset through: Practical strategies that guide students through the four stages of the Learning Challenge Engaging lesson plan ideas and classroom activities Inspiring examples from Learning Challenges across the world