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Questioning Strategies


It's been ten years since I've graduated high school, so my memory is probably less than accurate, but: I can't recall specific moments where my teachers used effective questioning strategies. This could mean a few things: a) They were exceptionally skilled at starting dialogue in the classroom to the point of going unnoticed by us teenagers, b) they didn't pose meaningful questions to get us started on asking our own meaningful questions, leading to dialogue, or c) my memory is really just that terrible. 

Most of the time, I think my teachers simply asked questions, and students either responded or didn't. But maybe it's because I was (am) quiet and doodling in my notebook the majority of the time (still do... sigh) and wasn't paying attention that I can't remember any mind blowing conversations that left me leaving class feeling sucker-punched (in all the best ways possible, of course). At least, not conversations that were teacher led. Actually, I think the most important and enlightening conversations I had around course material and connecting it to real life happened with my peers during group work or in the way back of the classroom.

Anyway. The questioning strategy I've decided to share with you all is all about generating student voice and keeping the dialogue going back and forth between students versus student-teacher. It's called "FY3." 

During class discussions, you ask students to FY3 their responses. FY3 is "shorthand for diversify, verify, and amplify." Basically, you want students to think of responses to their peers that a) provide multiple perspectives, b) back up their claims, and c) elaborate on an idea or ideas. As the teacher who shared this strategy says, this is more of a scaffolding strategy that helps students work on their discussion skills, but I think it could also be used to generate questions as well. By using a strategy like FY3, there are structures in place that help students begin to pinpoint how they want to respond to questions. From personal experience, sometimes being asked a question, especially an open-ended one, can be a little difficult because the mind is racing with a million thoughts at once. Instead of answering my brain tends to lean on the "shut down" end of the spectrum (working on it). But by practicing how I should begin to respond, there's less pressure. I think this could be true for students, too.

That said -- I realize this is more of an answer strategy than a questioning one... but I think it'd be helpful in getting conversation going nonetheless. 

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