Questioning is one of the most important tools a teacher uses to engage learners, check understanding, and promote higher thinking skills. Effective questioning improves learning outcomes, encourages participation, and helps assess learners’ knowledge.

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8.1 Types of Questions

Questions in teaching can be divided into two main types:

1. Lower-Order Questions (Recall Questions)

Definition:
These are questions that require learners to recall facts, definitions, or basic information. They often have one correct answer.

Purpose:

• Test memory and basic understanding

• Check retention of factual knowledge

• Introduce new topics

Examples:

• “What is the capital of Ghana?”

• “List the types of clouds.”

• “Define a noun.”

Tips for Teachers:

• Use for beginners or when introducing a topic

• Encourage learners to respond quickly to reinforce memory

• Do not rely only on these questions—they are basic

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2. Higher-Order Questions (Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)

Definition:
These questions require learners to think critically, analyze information, solve problems, or evaluate ideas. They often have multiple possible answers.

Purpose:

• Promote critical thinking and problem-solving

• Encourage learners to justify opinions or draw conclusions

• Develop creativity and reasoning skills

Examples:

• Analysis: “Why do you think rainfall patterns in Ghana vary across regions?”

• Evaluation: “Which method of teaching science is most effective for JHS students? Give reasons.”

• Synthesis: “Design a simple experiment to show how plants produce oxygen.”

Tips for Teachers:

• Use with learners who have grasped basic concepts

• Encourage discussion and peer learning

• Combine with practical activities

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8.2 Questioning Skills

Beyond asking questions, how you ask is just as important. Effective questioning requires skill:

1. Probing

Definition:
Probing is asking follow-up questions to get learners to think deeper or clarify their answers.

Purpose:

• Encourage elaboration

• Clarify vague answers

• Promote critical thinking

Example in Classroom:
Learner: “Photosynthesis happens in plants.”
Teacher: “Can you explain why it only happens in the leaves?”

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2. Redirecting

Definition:
Redirecting is passing a question from one learner to another, or from teacher to the whole class.

Purpose:

• Engage more learners

• Prevent dominance by one student

• Encourage peer learning

Example:
Teacher: “Who can explain why the sky appears blue?”
Learner 1 struggles; teacher redirects: “Can anyone else give an example?”

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3. Wait-Time

Definition:
Wait-time is the pause a teacher allows after asking a question, giving learners time to think.

Purpose:

• Improves quality of answers

• Encourages participation from shy learners

• Helps learners process information

Tips:

• Wait 3–5 seconds after asking a question before calling on someone

• Longer pauses may be needed for complex questions

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4. Prompting

Definition:
Prompting is giving hints or cues to help learners answer without giving the answer directly.

Purpose:

• Encourage learners to recall information

• Boost confidence in shy or struggling students

Example:
Teacher: “What gas do plants release during photosynthesis?”
Learner is unsure. Teacher prompts: “It’s the same gas we breathe in.”
Learner: “Oxygen!” 

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8.3 Question Levels (Bloom’s Taxonomy)

Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a hierarchy of cognitive skills and is widely used in lesson planning and questioning.

1. Knowledge (Remembering)

Definition: Recall of facts or basic information.
Example: “What is the capital of Accra?”
Classroom Use: Low-level quiz, checking memory

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2. Comprehension (Understanding)

Definition: Explain ideas or concepts in your own words.
Example: “Explain why rainfall is important for agriculture in Ghana.”
Classroom Use: Encourage learners to show understanding

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3. Application

Definition: Use knowledge in new situations.
Example: “Apply the formula for speed to calculate the speed of a moving car.”
Classroom Use: Problem-solving activities, real-life scenarios

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4. Analysis

Definition: Break information into parts to explore relationships.
Example: “Compare the economic activities in rural and urban Ghana and explain the differences.”
Classroom Use: Encourage critical thinking and understanding of concepts

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5. Synthesis (Creating)

Definition: Combine ideas to form new patterns or solutions.
Example: “Design a simple rainwater harvesting system for your school.”
Classroom Use: Projects, innovative problem-solving

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6. Evaluation (Judging)

Definition: Make judgments based on criteria or evidence.
Example: “Evaluate the effectiveness of the current Ghanaian educational curriculum in promoting literacy.”
Classroom Use: Debates, essays, critical reflections

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Practical Tips for Teachers

1. Use a mix of low and high-order questions in every lesson.

2. Apply wait-time consistently, especially after complex questions.

3. Encourage peer discussion when redirecting questions.

4. Use Bloom’s Taxonomy when writing lesson objectives or assessments.

5. Evaluate your questioning: Are learners engaged? Are answers meaningful?

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Classroom Example: Integrated Science – Photosynthesis

Bloom’s Level	Question Example	Skill Tested
Knowledge	“What is photosynthesis?”	Recall
Comprehension	“Explain why plants need sunlight for photosynthesis.”	Understanding
Application	“Predict what happens to a plant in the dark for a week.”	Application
Analysis	“Compare photosynthesis in plants with cellular respiration in humans.”	Analysis
Synthesis	“Design an experiment to measure oxygen produced by a plant.”	Creativity
Evaluation	“Assess the importance of photosynthesis to human survival.”	Judgment

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