A simple technique designed to maximise the impact of questioning.
What does it mean?
Dylan Wiliam, a leading expert in formative assessment, criticises the typical questioning model, Initiation-Response-Evaluation, where a teacher asks a question, gets an answer and then responds themselves. Pose-Pause-Pounce-Bounce is a questioning sequence which is much more suited to elicit deep thinking. The teacher poses a question; pauses to allow suitable thinking time; pounces on one student for an initial answer; and bounces the answer to another student who builds on the response. If I-R-E is ‘table tennis’, think of P-P-P-B as ‘basketball questioning’. This will improve participation, engagement and understanding.
What are the implications for teachers?
This strategy is simple, but there are a few important elements to be aware of: Ensure that you pause for long enough to allow sufficient thinking time. This will improve students’ answers and confidence
Use the
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