Knowing how to ask and answer questions allows us to communicate effectively with others. It builds our social connections and fosters our academic growth in all subject areas. New knowledge and learning are opened up when we question who, what, when, where, why and how. Think about it: Where would we be today without Albert Einstein questioning the theory of relativity or Marie Curie questioning radioactivity? We all ask and answer questions in our every-day conversations with others, but it is a skill that is necessary to teach and learn so that we can make connections and broaden our perspectives to the world around us.
We have been working on building our conversational skills through learning how to ask relevant, respectful, and probing questions and answering them in a clear, concise, and direct manner. When we teach questioning skills, we focus on six key words: Who, what, when, where, why, how. These types of questions offer open-ended answers rather than single word answers. When we teach students how to provide answers to a question, we stress the importance of understanding what is being asked. We then focus on answering the question concisely and completely.
How can you help promote these skills at home with your child?
* Discuss the difference between a question and a statement.
* Ask open-ended questions starting with the words: Who, what, when, where,
why, how.
* Make sure the question has been understood.
* Practice answering the question concisely and completely.
We have been working on building our conversational skills through learning how to ask relevant, respectful, and probing questions and answering them in a clear, concise, and direct manner. When we teach questioning skills, we focus on six key words: Who, what, when, where, why, how. These types of questions offer open-ended answers rather than single word answers. When we teach students how to provide answers to a question, we stress the importance of understanding what is being asked. We then focus on answering the question concisely and completely.
How can you help promote these skills at home with your child?
* Discuss the difference between a question and a statement.
* Ask open-ended questions starting with the words: Who, what, when, where,
why, how.
* Make sure the question has been understood.
* Practice answering the question concisely and completely.