Driving+Questions

Questions used to fuel the entire inquiry process are called driving questions. They can also be used to direct an inquiry-based lesson. This sample lesson demonstrates how teachers can use open-ended instead of convergent questions to drive discussion to develop critical thinking skills and enhance the community of shared dialogue. Generally, teachers provide students with an object or experience and give them some //wait time// to reflect on what the see or have experienced. The inquiry-based instructional process begins with open-ended //observational// questions (e.g., What do you notice?), moves on to follow-up questions (e.g., What else do you notice? or What more do you notice about that?), gets into //clarifying questions// (e.g., Can you tell me more about that?), and always relies on details to support their observations. After a period of questions related to first-hand observations, teachers can ask //prior knowledge questions// (e.g., What does this remind you of in your own lives?), //synthesis// or //inference-based// //questions// (e.g., What does this tell you about the time period it was made in?), and //comparison questions// (e.g., How is this similar to the previous object?). To promote further discussion, try adding bits of information along the way instead of divulging it all at the beginning or end of the discussion. For instance, you might give biographical information about the artist or writer, tell students what the object was used for, or tell students when the object was used.