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Ask Open-ended Questions

Tags

^21st Century Skills ^Extra-curricular/At-Home All Ages Strategy

Skills

Expressive Language Verbal Reasoning Abstract Reasoning

Ask Open-ended Questions

If your child gives one word answers or is reluctant to engage in deeper discussion

How To Apply It!

  1. Questions that have a specific answer might not evoke a meaningful response: "Who were the main characters in the book?" (I don't remember.)
  2. Instead, use more open-ended starters: "What was your favorite part of the movie?" "I wonder how they are going to solve this one."

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

By using this style of commenting or questioning, adults can begin a back-and-forth dialogue, which will lead to a href="https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/20072004.pdf#page=40">deeper thinking about the material. Asking fewer direct questions also encourages students to share a point of view without worrying about a right or wrong answer or what students think the adults want to hear.