The Question Formulation Technique: 6 Steps to Help Students Ask Better Questions

The Question Formulation Technique: 6 Steps to Help Students Ask Better Questions: How often do we teach students how to formulate good, in-depth questions? Use these 6 steps to help boost your students’ ability to ask better questions and drive their own learning.

Reading aloud

Jim Trelease's useful book on reading aloud

There are many useful read aloud extracts in this book also by Trelease. 

                                     

On Saturday ( 14 Jan), I shared some ideas with CDAC tutors for helping students to be better readers. By better readers, I mean better at reading aloud.

Reading aloud is a key component in the oral examination, and is a skill that students can learn to master and therefore do well in. A common problem with students reading aloud is their lack of expression. I talked about some ways to help students understand the rhythm of the English language and shared some ideas with   my audience. Unfortunately, these were not in their notes, so here they are:

There are 5 main tones in English:
rise 

fall

rise-fall

fall-rise

level

Intonation can reinforce grammar: 

Wh-questions: fall
What is your name?

Conditional sentences: rise on the first clause & a fall on the second
If I give you a dollar, will you sweep the floor?

Imperatives: fall
Quiet! Sit down!

Yes/no questions: rise-fall
Is this seat taken?

Intonation can reveal attitude:

Expressing surprise: rise
I see that you are still here.

Sarcasm: rise-fall
What a beautiful skirt ; what happened to the rest of the tablecloth?

Politeness: rise ('the polite rise')
May I speak to the manager?

Doubt: fall-rise

I’m not sure you’re right, but it sounds convincing.

Teachers can do a lot to model the art of reading aloud, and one good way is to spend a few minutes each day reading aloud to your students. Here is a  video that shows you how you can do this well. 

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The Joy of Teaching and Learning

Now that school has begun, I am also back to teaching on a regular basis. Many friends think I have a great job because it cannot be hard to work with teachers but alas, teachers are also human beings, and are often tired and stressed-out beings at that.  I am full of empathy for them because I know how hard it is to teach. Like I always say, it’s much easier sitting in a cubicle in front of a computer for 12 hours than to deal with 40 little individuals who prefer to be somewhere else doing something else. And oh did I mention having to deal with the 40 pairs of parents belonging to these individuals?

There are so many things to be mindful of while teaching; the octopus metaphor often comes to mind. In my classes, I don’t have major discipline problems, of course, but I do have individuals who prefer to be somewhere else doing something else. I don’t see this to be my problem although as a teacher, I do hope to engage them sufficiently for them to want to be there with me. And like every teacher, I prepare a lesson carefully, taking into consideration the objectives, the participants and the content to be covered. Time is often a premium in class and often there isn’t enough of it. That’s when I find myself struggling to finish what I have planned. And that’s also when things go wrong.

I often say to my teachers that teaching isn’t about covering the syllabus, but I have found myself in situations where I was doing nothing but trying to get to the end of the PowerPoint presentation and the notes in the books.  Nope, I’m not proud of myself doing that although some are of the opinion that since participants have paid to attend a course, they should get all the relevant input.  But, over the years, I’ve come to understand that teaching is not giving what we “owe” our students; it’s giving students the opportunity and the time to take in, reflect on and understand what we are presenting.  To this end, my best lessons have been when I literally go with the flow, and that is, I flow with my students’ learning and weave my teaching around their understanding and needs. I don’t strive to finish explaining everything I have prepared. Instead, I pause to ensure that my students have made a connection with whatever I am trying to teach.

And amazingly, in doing so, in tending to my students’ needs instead of following my own agenda, I begin to experience the joy of teaching. There is joy when I see students trying to make the links for themselves; there’s joy when they do make the links; there’s joy when they start to ask questions and there’s joy when they begin to see the significance of what I was sharing. And I am joyful too because I am not rushing round like a runaway train. Hallelujah!  

Although the old transmission model of teaching has lost favour with educators, it cannot be denied that much of learning depends on input of new information to be hooked up with what we already know as prior knowledge.  Much of learning also depends on our reviewing of what we already know and our readiness to discard what is no longer relevant and to embrace new ideas and new ways of doing things. This process is a difficult one for everyone and takes time. So, there is no such thing as getting it right the first time. Learning is often a long, hard process which requires the learner’s 100% participation.  The more we understand this, the more we realise that everything we teach requires frequent repetition, review and most important of all, mindful practice.

The mindful practice part is something teachers cannot control. My yoga teacher shakes her head in mock despair every Sunday after she asks her favourite question: So, did anyone practise their breathing? Few do but she does not give up asking and coaxing us to practise.  My friend and swimming partner asks me the same question about practising, and while my intention is always there, I sometimes get derailed by work. But practice is the most important part of any learning and by this, I don’t mean working on mindless worksheets. Remember the 10,000 hours of practice? Thinking about what we’ve learnt and reflecting on how this new learning can be applied is crucial for real learning to happen. Doing it is just, if not, more vital. Even when the practice is repetitious, it’s the awareness of each repetition that elevates it from a mindless chore.

In my case, I hope  teachers go back to class and apply what they have learnt. But I cannot control or ensure that. I can only fill them with enthusiasm and make them positive about the processes and approaches I have shown them. And yes, I feel good when I think I have achieved that. But I think the joy is much deepened when they come back and report on their learning and reflection and their attempts to put their learning to practice.

So when I think about it all, it’s not so much the joy of teaching that I aspire to; I wish that my learners, whoever they are, will also experience the joy of learning.  So ultimately, the joy of teaching must be translated into a joy for learning. And when this is achieved, the equation is balanced and there is harmony in the teaching-learning process.

Hmmmm... There’s a lot to work towards, isn’t there? But, as they always say, "Just do it!".

So, how was my 2011?

There’s something about the end of the year that always prompts me to look back and reflect on how it went.   I don’t think there’s much to regret but often I wonder where the days have gone and looking back through my diary helps me take stock of the year.

The IPhone has made us all a bit trigger happy, I think, where pictures are concerned and looking through my lot, I made this collage of pictures to sum up my year at a glance.

So, I have worked and played hard and made some head way in my yoga and meditation practice and in my swimming. I travelled quite extensively –from Doha to Tuscany to Hong Kong, Seoul, Indonesia and to India. I cooked and cleaned and gardened although my vegetable growing attempts can only garner only a C.  I borrowed and read over 100 books and magazines from NLB alone. I enjoyed many good concerts and trips to the museums and art galleries.  I lost some friends, made new ones, and caught up with old pals.  The bonus was meeting up with my Primary 1 classmate and my ex-colleague from NJC whom I have not seen for more than 25 years. Work was good- I was kept very busy this year but I must admit to enjoying the work, and the people I met, from teachers to parents and students.

Family and friends have made my year a meaningful one.  There was a new addition to the Cheah clan-nephew number 19! I lost a friend to cancer this year but celebrated the 60^th and 75^th birthdays of two others. Each day, I offer thanks for the blessings in my life and after my trip to India, this act takes on a greater significance.

My theme this year has been mindfulness and while I cannot say that I have been totally mindful, I have tried hard to be more focused with each thing I do.  As a result, I find myself enjoying my experiences so much more, from a day wandering around in the Botanic Gardens to a concert with the Singapore Elvis Presley to a nonsensical chat with Junior about our cat.  Occasionally, I still fret over the many things that I have not done yet, but on the whole, I am much better at experiencing and enjoying the now.

So, now that the year has gone, what have I learnt? These ten lessons I’ve learnt but they are not what I have mastered. I‘ve had more success with some than with others but then again, it only means that I will have no end of things to do and think about in the coming year.

My 10 lessons from 2011( not really in order of importance)

1. We can’t change others; we can only change ourselves.
   Changing myself is a challenging task but I know for a fact that this can be a wee bit easier than hoping for the other person to change. And if I can see another point of view, I may be able to avoid another unnecessary confrontation.
   
2. Do everything with love.
   I read a book recently-The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender- about a girl who, while eating, can experience the emotions of the person who was cooking the dish. Imagine if we can do that; a lot of food will taste awful I think. But, if we can do something with love, that chore turns into a pleasure and resentment transforms into simple happiness.
   
3. Choose to be happy.
   When someone annoys me or does something that bothers me, I can choose to be annoyed or upset or I can choose to be happy. I am trying more and more to choose to be happy and by doing so, I remove the source of annoyance too.
   
4. Love myself.
   My yoga teacher repeats this affirmation all the time but it took me a long time to understand this concept. I don’t think I am good at this still but I am beginning to see that everything I do begins with loving myself first. In a good way, I must add, and it’s not about self indulgence.
   
5. Focus on the now; live life in small doses.
   My father chose the Chinese word “now” as the middle name for all the girls to remind us to be in the now. Again not always an easy principle to follow but biting off what I can chew remains a good reminder to me during the times when I was gagging on some extra large chunks that I bit off.
   
6. Help others when I can and when I am able.
   Always, and I can do more.
   
7. Love is a verb; compassion must lead to an action.
   Talk is good but positive action is even better.
   
8. Think good thoughts.
   Don’t give in to worst case scenarios. Things are never the way I think they are>
   
9. Be grateful.
   Another daily affirmation for me. This includes gratitude for fresh air, clean water, a peaceful life and freedom to take a walk anywhere, at any time.
   
10.  Let it go.
    Don’t hang on to things, to people, to past experiences. Let them all go. Slowly.

So what’s ahead in 2012? I think I want it to be a year where I will make a start at doing the things I want to do in two years’ time when I am 60. Waiting till I am 60 to do them will be a bit late I think, so some part of my routine will be devoted to some new activities.  Perhaps that will mean less work but that’s OK. I need to work less anyway. I am often reminded by the saying that no one, on their death bed, ever regrets not doing more work.  

And even as I get ready for the New Year, I am reminded by Abe Lincoln that

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

I hope to put more life into my year in 2012. May you also find the good life in the year to come.

Author's Chair

Author’s Chair is another feature of writing process that was very popular at our writing camp. Again, this is one activity that did not find favour in our Singaporean classrooms because of the lack of time and the large class size. Another possible reason is that the culture for such an activity is missing.

But I am again surprised at how the students at the camp adopted this activity and took to it like ducks to water. On the first day, we had to ask a few children to share their writing but on the second day, students were signing up on the board to read their pieces. On the third day, there was a scramble to take up the six slots offered for Author’s Chair. Regretfully, we did not have time for Author’s Chair on the fourth day, although the older children did get to share their writing with their parents on the last day.  The primary children published their pieces instead.

What is Author’s Chair?

Author’s Chair is the final step in the writing process where writers who have completed their writing or are happy with their pieces are invited to share their writing by reading it aloud.  It is an opportunity to receive feedback from peers and for peers to respond to what has been written. A special chair is usually set aside for this occasion. We used a tall chair, placed in the centre of the classroom.

Author’s Chair helps child writers to develop the concept of authorship and to affirm their writing and their ideas.  It also encourages collaborative learning and sharing. Author’s Chair is a motivating activity for students, as I can well testify, and it encourages students to want to write more and to write for a real audience.  Peers who are listening learn to listen attentively and to show their appreciation for their friend’s writing. Although we did not ask our students to give feedback, this step can well be added to the routine once students are used to the activity and feel a sense of belonging to the community.  We encouraged all our students to show their appreciation for the sharing by clapping.

I am convinced that Author’s Chair is one activity that will fit well into our STELLAR classrooms. After all, the best time to begin such an activity is when students are young and not too self conscious. Yet, I must emphasise that a safe classroom culture is significant so that potential writers are not discouraged by the reaction of their peers.  I was very gratified by the positive response students gave to Author’s Chair and once again, it showed me that most students (and not just the bright ones or the good writers) are keen to share their work and interested in their peers’ reactions to their work.

A final thought for those of you thinking of doing this in class. You may not want your students to share the complete story. Reading a short extract, their favourite line or lines, or what they think is most interesting will be adequate. This will also help you to include more students in the activity. Like all activities, don’t let it drag on and on. Always stop early to keep them hungry for more the next time!

About blah, blah writing 2

J was one of many boys who joined our BAWP writing camp.  On Day 1, when he was introduced to the idea of Freewriting, I could see that he was not used to writing independently. He sat for a long time staring into space. After some time, the concept of blah blah writing was introduced to the class. He was instantly transformed. At once, he picked up his pen and started writing blah, blah, blah interspersed with an odd word or phrase. Sometimes he added a sentence the teacher was saying.  He wrote all morning and all through break, as if he was possessed. He refused to stop even when he was told that he has written enough. In the end, he wrote three pages of blah blah writing on Day 1. Here is an extract from his journal.

 After the first session, we talked about how to help him and it became clear that in between his blah blahs, there were some lucid thoughts and sentences. We planned to pull out these sentences and put them together into a verse with him the next day if he still could not do anything else.

Day 2 arrived and what a surprise! Blah blah writing just ceased and J seemed to have emerged from his writer’s block. He wrote happily like everyone else and while it did not seem a lot, it was still a gigantic step for him. For the rest of the camp, he turned out to be a most enthusiastic writer and contributed actively to the class and did many pieces of independent writing.  He showed a lot of interest in the pictures used for prompts and stayed behind during break to help put them up and to study them carefully.

Was he the only child who had such a good experience? No. I must confess that I was surprised by the positive feedback we had to Freewriting. Many children chose that as one of their favourite activities in the camp because they said that it gave them the freedom to write what they wanted to.  Again, I must admit that while I understood the importance of choice in writing, I underestimated its value and the crucial role it plays in children’s motivation to write.

What lessons can we take away from this episode? Let me summarise them.

1. Give children choice in writing. They will feel more motivated if they can sometimes write what they want.
2. Don’t overemphasise accuracy and conventions. Let the thoughts flow unimpeded first and respect what children have to say.
3. Practise Freewriting as part of your writing activities. It only takes 10-15 minutes each day and it gives students the writing practice they need.
4. Give students time to get used to the activity. Don’t rush them and don’t worry too much if they are slow to pick up on the idea.
5. Writing every day is better than a long essay once a fortnight.
6. Teach them blah blah writing as a way to overcome writer’s block.
7. Avoid marking or commenting negatively on their Freewriting pieces.
8. Use intriguing prompts to help students think creatively.

Elbow has further described Freewriting as first order writing which is “intuitive and creative and does not strive for conscious direction or control”. When we write fast without censoring, we often are led to new connections and new insights that we have not foreseen.

In schools, we are often focused on accuracy and grammaticality in writing. Perhaps it’s time we gave these a rest and focus on what students have to say. Freewriting helps students develop a writing voice. I have no doubt that young writers can be more creative and thoughtful writers if they learn that they too can have something meaningful to say and in their own voices. 

About blah, blah writing 1

                                            1. Prompts for Writing

                                            2. Freewriting session

I have written about and advocated a writing strategy called Quick Write in my classes and in my newsletters for quite a number of years already, but I don’t think it has been consistently implemented anywhere.  Again, the perception seems to be that it is too time consuming although it’s a mere ten minutes and could be done as part of journaling. I’d like to revisit this topic and share how we used this approach in our writing camp recently.

What is Quickwrite/Freewrite?

Quick Write simply is an activity where students are asked to write to a prompt or write about any topic they wish to in a fixed time, say five minutes to begin with, without stopping to correct anything. Sometimes, this is described as stream-of consciousness writing. In other words, just write and do not stop moving your pen for five minutes. If students run out of ideas, they simply write, “I have no ideas. I don’t know what to write” or other similar thoughts going on in their head until they find a new thought to put down on paper.

A timer is an excellent way to keep track of time and once the timer rings, every one stops writing, and they count the number of words on their page and write that at the bottom of their piece. This is optional, but I find that counting the number of words give students incentive to want to write more the next time. After this, the teacher can have students read aloud their own piece or to their friend in the course of which they can edit their writing if they wish to.

Goals of Quick Write

The main goal of Quick Write is to help students develop fluency in writing and to be able to put their thoughts down on paper.  Many students have problems putting their thoughts down on paper because they consistently do self censoring as they write. Others are hampered by a need to get everything correct at the first try or they are paralysed by their inability to spell or to find the right word.

With Quick Write, students write without paying attention to such concerns. They merely put down what comes to their mind even if these thoughts are about their difficulties with writing.  Eventually, they will find that find it easier to put their words down on paper and their writing will increase in length.  I did Quick Write for a short while with Junior when he was in primary school and he enjoyed it and was able to write more after a while. He also became more alert to his own mistakes when writing.

Quick Write vs Freewriting

I am bringing back this topic simply because we had a chance in the Bay Area Writing Project’s (BAWP) Writing Camp to practise this with our students for four days in a row. In our camp, the teachers refer to it as Freewriting but the concept is the same.  This is how Peter Elbow, writing guru and professor of English defines Freewriting:

To write and not stop for anything. Go quickly without rushing. Never stop to look back, to cross something out, to wonder how to spell something, to wonder what word or thought to use, or to think about what you are doing (quoted in Wendy Major, 22 Oct 1994).

Freewriting gives students an opportunity to write about what they want without worrying about accuracy, relevance, organisation, style, grammar tec. They just focus on writing.

Freewriting at the BAWP writing camp

So, how did this work out in our BAWP camp with our 10-12 year olds?

Students came in each morning to two or three prompts written on the board. They take out their writing journal and begin writing immediately without talking. On the first day, we had students who were a bit lost. They sat and stared into space or at their brand new journals for a long time not knowing what to write. They were then introduced to the concept of blah blah writing. They were told that if they had nothing to write, they could just write blah blah blah, but in between they may overhear something or think of a word, a phrase or even a sentence. They are to include this into their writing and continue.  But they are not to stop writing.

 After the first day, all students knew what to do and fell into the routine without any hassle. They all wrote for 10 minutes after which they put away their journal to begin the first activity of the day. Sometime later during writers’ workshop, they can go back to work on their Freewrite piece if that’s what they want to do or they can go on to write  a new piece introduced by the teacher.

In the next posting, I will share an example of a child experiencing freewriting.