The Role of Creative Questioning in the

Process of Learning and Teaching

(Ali Reza Zolfaghari, Davood Fathi, Masoud Hashemi)
Presented by Ronan Byron B. Bartolazo
BS Mathematics and Science Teaching
 Abstract
Inquiry-based learning is essential to the Philippine classroom according
to DepEd Order No. 21 s 2019. This is why it is critical to improve the way
of questioning by Filipino teachers to prevent students from getting
ignorant and to effectively engage them in the classroom learning. Being
creative doesn’t mean we have to stick with simple questions that are
answered by yes or no. There are different ways of creative questioning:
stimulating students’ imagination, hanging questions, open-ended
questions, compare and contrast, etc. In order for the teachers to
implement this in the room effectively, we must plan it thoroughly so
that we could be prepared for the students for their follow-up questions
or answers.
 DepEd Order
No. 21 s. 2019

The curriculum shall use pedagogical approaches

that are constructivist, inquiry-based, reflective,
collaborative, differentiated, and integrative.
 DepEd Order
No. 21 s. 2019
Inquiry-based learning puts a premium on
questioning, investigating, proving, probing,
explaining, predicting, and establishing
connection of evidences.
Local Studies here in the Philippines
suggests that teachers must improve
their questioning skills to improve quality
of learning thru inquiry-based approach.
(Salazar, 2020; Gutierez, 2015; Pagara et. al,
2017; Diate and Mordeno, 2021)
 Why is
questioning
important in
teaching?
“Good teaching is more of giving right questions than
giving of right answers.”
Josef Albers (1888-1976)

“What's in a question, you ask? Everything. It is evoking

stimulating response or stultifying inquiry. It is, in
essence, the very core of teaching.”
John Dewey (1859-1952)
“Questions are the primary way teachers interact with
students in the classroom.” (Salmon and Barrera, 2021)

“Effective questioning in teaching marks the difference

between being a facilitator of learning opportunities or a
consumer of someone else’s ideas.” (Salmon and
Barrera, 2021)
Teacher questions may be used as a monitoring
mechanism.

Teacher questions can guide students to be aware of on-

the-fly situations of classroom talks.

Some specific typologies of teacher questions may

support or hinder students’ intellectual contributions to
classroom talks. (Soysal and Soysal, 2022)
The ability to ask questions leads to the development of
new ideas, inventions, and better solutions.
(Ritchhart, 2012; Rothstein & Santana, 2017)

Questions challenge students to reflect on their theories

and take different perspectives.
(Salmon and Barrera, 2021)
Functions of questioning:
• To identify the present level of
understanding;
• To extend and deepen learning; and
• To inform planning.
 How many
questions are
asked in each
classroom
every day?
 According to The Guardian,
statistics show that the
average teacher asks between
300 and 400 questions per
day; most are low-level
questions and only 20% of
those requires thinking.
The quality of questions
= the quality of teaching
According to a 2018 Manila Times article, Filipino critical
thinking is declining from an already low base.
Philippines is ranked as the 16th most ignorant country
in the world (Lugtu, 2018). The researchers attributed
this to the schools' pedagogy of memorization.
Teachers' challenges to students' critical thinking
include students' logical understanding of word
problem solving, following logical inferences in a word
problem, and rational decision-making in problem
solving. (Diate and Mordeno, 2021)
 What is
creative
questioning?
Creativity manifests itself in the form
of curiosity and questioning.
(Zolfaghari et. al, 2011)
Asking open questions that cannot be answered
by yes or no and discussing appropriate ways to
answer these questions.

Encourages students to be adventurous, use

their senses, and invokes their critical thinking.
(Zolfaghari et. al, 2011)
Teachers can help build critical thinking skills in
learners by:

• Placing great value for their questions.

• Looking at them as thinkers who can create some
hypothesis about the world.
• Seeking their ideas and opinions.
Teachers can help build critical thinking skills in
learners by:

• Asking them to provide some explanations for their

responses.
• Nurturing their intellectual curiosity.
• Seeking for their correct and wrong responses.
 Some
Examples of
Creative
methods of
questioning
The stimulation and application of
students’ imagination

Imagine that….. What if…

Questions that involves using
students’ senses

Examine the sky above. What is the

color of the sky? Do you have any
idea why the sky is _______ (color
observed)?
Open-ended questions

Why do you think that the rabbit is

faster than a turtle?
Compare and contrast

Drop a coin and a marble. Compare

their velocities. Are their velocities
the same? Explain why their
velocities are the same or different.
Transformation and substitution

What will happen if the moon

becomes larger than its current size?
What do you think will happen on
earth? Will it affect other celestial
bodies?
Performance-analysis questions

How much did you get from today's

lesson?.... KPWH
 Do you have
other methods
in mind?
Reminders on
creating
questions
1. Plan your questions ahead.
2. Never ask low-level questions.
3. Make questioning progressive.
4. If your questions appear to be too difficult
for the students to understand,
restructure them.
5. Address the questions to the entire class
first, then choose a student to respond.
5. Allow enough amount of time for
students to respond to your questions.
6. Deliver your questions in an
encouraging and motivating manner.
7. Ask students to pose questions.
9. Teachers should make thoughtful, purposeful,
and deliberate decisions, actions, and questions.

10. Teachers must align their curriculum, thinking

goals, learning opportunities, and discourse to
cognitively engage students in problem solving
by facilitating meaningful and authentic
conversations. (Salmon and Barrera, 2021)
Conclusion
Creative questioning is an
intellectual tool for students and
teachers; it empowers students
and gives them ownership of their
learning. Being creative in our
questioning simply reflects our
quality of teaching and learning.
Conclusion
Creative questioning is a way of
encouraging students to think critically
and nurture their intellectual curiosity.

Creative questioning is an important

skill that teachers must develop over
time. Teachers must plan ahead in
creating questions for their next class.
Conclusion

Teachers must focus on questions

that will require students to use
their senses and critical thinking.
 References
Absin-Pagara, C. R., Moreno, L. A. S. R., & Suazo, M. T. (2017). Developing the Inquiry-Based Teaching Skills
among Pre-Service Teachers in Xavier University through Lesson Study. In Liceo Journal of Higher Education
Research (Vol. 13, Issue 1). Liceo de Cagayan University. https://doi.org/10.7828/ljher.v13i1.1007
PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions. (n.d.). PressReader.
https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-times/20180308/281728385026814
Reporter, G. S. (2013, October 23). 6 creative ways to use questions in the classroom. The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/oct/24/teaching-questions-improve-pupil-
learning
Salmon, A. K., & Barrera, M. X. (2021). Intentional questioning to promote thinking and learning. In Thinking
Skills and Creativity (Vol. 40, p. 100822). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100822
Zolfaghari, A. R., Fathi, D., & Hashemi, M. (2011). Role of Creative Questioning in the Process of Learning and
Teaching. In Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences (Vol. 30, pp. 2079–2082). Elsevier BV.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.404
 References
Soysal, Y., & Soysal, S. (2022). Exploring Science Teacher Questions’ Influence on the Students’ Talk Productivity:
A Classroom Discourse Analysis Approach. In SAGE Open (Vol. 12, Issue 2, p. 215824402211024). SAGE
Publications. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221102433
Diate, K., & Mordeno, I. C. (2021). Filipino Physics Teachers’ Teaching Challenges and Perception of Essential
Skills for a Supportive Learning Environment. Asia Research Network Journal of Education, 1(2), 61–76.
Retrieved from https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/arnje/article/view/251765
Thank
You
God bless us all, future educators!