The Conversation Café provides some guidance on how teachers might craft good questions. www.conversationcafe.org
Some ideas are summarised below.
Characteristics of a good question:
- There are no embedded cultural, political, or ideological assumptions.
- It involves both head and heart. People can respond with their feelings and their thoughts.
- It has not already been answered conclusively―yet finding an answer is crucial to moving forward.
- If they choose, people can tell a story or recall an experience that relates to the question.
- Anyone at the table could have something valuable to say―whatever their age, race, gender, or level of education may be.
- Can’t be answered with a “yes” or “no”, or a platitude.
- Even though broad, the question applies to many of the real issues we each and all face.
- Makes you want to find an answer and do something about it.
Questions for Connecting Ideas and Finding Deeper Insight:
- What’s taking shape? What are you hearing underneath the variety of opinions being expressed? What’s in the centre of the table?
- What’s emerging here for you? What new connections are you making?
- What had real meaning for you from what you’ve heard? What surprised you? What challenged you?
- What’s missing from this picture so far? What is it we’re not seeing? What do we need more clarity about?
- What’s been your/our major learning, insight, or discovery so far?
- What’s the next level of thinking we need to do?
- If there was one thing that hasn’t yet been said in order to reach a deeper level of understanding/clarity, what would that be?
Questions That Create Forward Movement
- What would it take to create change on this issue?
- What could happen that would enable you/us to feel fully engaged and energized about (your situation)?
- What’s possible here and who cares? (rather than “What’s wrong here and who’s responsible?”)
- What needs our immediate attention going forward?
- If our success was completely guaranteed, what bold steps might we choose?
- How can we support each other in taking the next steps? What unique contribution can we each make?
- What challenges might come our way and how might we meet them?
- What conversation, if begun today, could ripple out in a way that created new possibilities for the future of (your situation)?
- What seed might we plant together today that could make the most difference to the future of (your situation)?
Resources:
Vogt, E., Brown, J., and Issacs, D. (2003). The Art of Powerful Questions: Catalyzing Insight, Innovation, and Action.