10 Questioning Techniques for Teachers

What if a single question could transform your classroom?

Effective questioning is one of the most powerful tools in a teacher’s arsenal — capable of sparking engagement, deepening understanding, and uncovering gaps in learning.

This guide outlines ten evidence-based questioning techniques designed for secondary school teachers, complete with practical examples across a range of subjects.

Key Takeaways

• Research shows teachers spend 35-50% of instructional time asking questions (opens in a new tab), making questioning technique crucial for effective teaching

• Strategic questioning improves engagement, checks understanding, and develops higher-order thinking

• Different techniques serve different purposes - from quick comprehension checks to deep critical analysis

• Wait time and classroom culture are essential for effective questioning

• Subject-specific adaptations maximise the impact of questioning strategies

Why Effective Questioning Matters in Secondary Classrooms

Questioning serves many critical roles in secondary education.

Well-crafted questions engage students in active learning rather than passive information reception.

Strategic questioning helps teachers see right away what students understand and where they need more support. Research shows that effective questioning boosts motivation and promotes positive, critical, and creative thinking (opens in a new tab), especially when students have extra think time and can follow-up. Well-planned questions can also guide students through complex ideas they might struggle to grasp on their own.

This guide will give you practical ways to turn everyday questions into powerful tools for learning.

The 10 Most Effective Questioning Techniques

1. Think-Pair-Share

Think-Pair-Share involves students considering a question individually, discussing their thoughts with a partner, then sharing insights with the larger group. This technique works particularly well for complex questions requiring processing time and benefits from collaborative thinking.

Science example: "Think about why objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum. Discuss your reasoning with your partner, then we'll hear different explanations."

Implementation tip: Set clear time limits for each phase - typically 2 minutes thinking, 3 minutes pairing, then controlled sharing.

2. Cold Calling

Cold calling involves asking questions to specific students rather than relying on volunteers.

When implemented sensitively, cold calling ensures all students remain engaged and provides broader assessment data.

English example: "Jake, what literary technique is Dickens using in this paragraph, and why might he have chosen it?"

Implementation tip: Use a positive, supportive tone and provide thinking time. For anxious students, give a heads-up: "I'll ask you about this in a moment."

3. Wait Time

Wait time is the deliberate pause between asking a question and accepting responses.

Research shows that extending wait time to 3-5 seconds significantly improves response quality and participation (opens in a new tab).

Maths example: Ask "How would you solve this quadratic equation?" then count to five silently before accepting answers.

Implementation tip: Resist the urge to fill silence. Use the time to scan student faces for understanding cues.

4. Probing Questions

Probing questions dig deeper into initial responses, encouraging elaboration and justification.

These follow-up questions develop critical thinking and reveal the depth of student understanding.

History example: Student: "The Treaty of Versailles was unfair." Teacher: "What specific aspects made it unfair? What evidence supports your view?"

Implementation tip: Prepare generic probing stems: "What makes you think that?", "Can you give an example?", "How does this connect to...?"

5. No Hands Up Rule

The No Hands Up rule prevents the same students dominating discussion whilst encouraging universal preparation to respond. This technique works well with cold calling and ensures broader participation.

Geography example: "Everyone consider why coastal erosion rates vary. I'll ask several people for different factors - no hands needed."

Implementation tip: Combine with thinking time and pair discussion to build confidence before individual responses.

6. Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning uses a series of questions to help students figure things out for themselves instead of just being told the answers. It builds independent thinking and helps them understand ideas step by step.

Philosophy/Ethics example: "Is lying always wrong?" → "What if lying saves someone's life?" → "How do we balance competing moral principles?"

Implementation tip: Plan question sequences in advance, but remain flexible to follow student thinking.

7. Higher-Order Questioning (Bloom's Taxonomy)

Bloom's Taxonomy (opens in a new tab) helps teachers design questions that range from simple recall to creative problem-solving.

Challenging, higher-level questions build the critical and analytical thinking skills students need to succeed.

Question stems by level:

• Remember: Define, list, identify

• Understand: Explain, summarise, classify

• Apply: Demonstrate, solve, calculate

• Analyse: Compare, examine, investigate

• Evaluate: Judge, critique, defend

• Create: Design, construct, propose

Implementation tip: Balance lower and higher-order questions, using recall questions to build towards analysis and evaluation.

8. Checking for Understanding

Checking for understanding involves quick, low-stakes questions to gauge comprehension before proceeding. These techniques provide immediate feedback about whether students are ready for the next learning step.

Quick check examples: Thumbs up/down, exit tickets, mini whiteboards, or "Show me with your fingers how confident you feel about this topic."

Implementation tip: Use these checks as decision points - adjust your teaching based on what you discover.

9. Bounce Questioning

Bounce questioning redirects one student's response to another student for comment, extension, or evaluation. This technique encourages peer-to-peer learning and maintains engagement across the whole class.

Science example: "Sarah suggests that increasing temperature speeds up reactions. Marcus, do you agree with Sarah's explanation? Can you add anything?"

Implementation tip: Train students to respond respectfully to peers and build on others' ideas constructively.

10. Diagnostic Questioning

Diagnostic questions target common misconceptions or reveal specific gaps in understanding.

These carefully crafted questions help identify where students need additional support or correction.

Maths example: "Which is larger: 0.7 or 0.65?" (This reveals decimal understanding misconceptions common among secondary students.)

Implementation tip: Research common misconceptions in your subject and design questions that expose these thinking errors.

Tips for Using Questioning Techniques Effectively

Match Techniques to Learning Objectives

Choose questioning strategies based on what you want students to achieve.

Use checking for understanding during instruction, Socratic questioning for concept development, and higher-order questions for critical thinking objectives.

Consider your students' current understanding level when selecting appropriate question complexity.

Managing Classroom Culture

Establish an environment where wrong answers are learning opportunities rather than failures.

Model curiosity and thinking processes by asking yourself questions aloud during demonstrations.

Celebrate thoughtful wrong answers that reveal common misconceptions or interesting alternative thinking.

Teach students to build on each other's responses respectfully and constructively.

Monitoring and Reflecting on Your Practice

Record lessons occasionally to analyse your questioning patterns and student responses.

Notice which students participate and which remain silent - adjust your techniques accordingly.

Seek feedback from colleagues through peer observation focused specifically on questioning effectiveness.

Keep a questioning journal noting which techniques work best with different classes and topics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best questioning technique for engagement?

• Think-Pair-Share consistently produces high engagement because it provides processing time and involves all students actively.

• Cold calling, when used supportively, also maintains universal engagement as students know they might be asked to contribute.

• The key is varying techniques to match different learning objectives and student needs.

How can I improve questioning in a mixed-ability classroom?

• Use scaffolded questioning sequences that build from accessible to challenging levels.

• Employ think-pair-share to allow peer support before individual responses.

• Prepare differentiated follow-up questions - simpler clarifications for struggling students, extensions for advanced learners.

Are some questioning techniques better for certain subjects?

• Socratic questioning works particularly well in humanities subjects that involve interpretation and analysis.

• Diagnostic questioning is especially valuable in STEM subjects where misconceptions can derail further learning.

• All techniques can be adapted across subjects, but emphasis might vary based on disciplinary thinking patterns.

Final Thoughts

Effective questioning transforms teaching from information delivery to guided discovery.

Start by implementing one or two new techniques consistently rather than attempting to use all ten simultaneously.

Remember that questioning is a skill that improves with deliberate practice and reflection - observe what works and refine your approach continuously.

Quality questions create quality thinking - invest time in crafting questions that genuinely challenge and engage your students.

References 

1. Deeper Learning Through Questioning (opens in a new tab)  

2. Effective Questioning in the Classroom: An Overview of the Techniques Used by Instructors (opens in a new tab)

3. Questioning Techniques and Teachers’ Role in the Classroom (opens in a new tab) 

4. What Is Bloom’s Taxonomy? 100+ Question Stems & Examples (opens in a new tab)