Chapter 7 Reflection

In terms of teaching science, the themes, theory and practical applications I observed concerned asking appropriate questions to enhance comprehension and to promote student discourse. I was particularly interested in the portion of the chapter that explained open and closed questions. I have made the mistake of asking my own sons the dreaded, ‘How was school today?” I have learned to ask more open ended questions such as, “What are some things you found interesting and what are some things you would change?” Granted the list of changes always seems longer than what they liked, but this way, we have things to discuss and talk about.
I found the many examples of questions and their purposes were quite helpful to me. I also found it important to understand how to extend students’ responses and promote further inquiry.
One concept that made sense to me after reading the chapter was knowing what questions to ask when. Page 191 made this process very clear and outlined how to go about asking useful questions during the explore and explain phases..
I did not find anything to be confusing in this chapter.
After reading this chapter, I have several new questions. Once again, I find myself already wondering how to modify asking the questions. I understand so me students with disabilities may require direct instruction and become agitated by so many questions. For example, I can imagine a student with Asperger’s or Autism experiencing a great deal of difficulty with being asked so many questions. That being said, this might be a great strategy for a student with ADHD, as it would keep them occupied.