This chapter discusses the essential questions that we should use, or ask, to really dive-in to the topics we discuss in the classroom and connect them to our big ideas or goals of a unit, for example. In a (literally) perpetual set of example “essential questions,” the authors demonstrate how these questions can elicit “deep and transferable understanding” (106) of the material. What makes this idea stick is when the authors compare what they consider “essential questions” with questions that we are used to seeing in text books or workbooks that check for only exact, one-answer responses. I am sure that every teacher has used the classic comprehension questions and has felt like they had a successful lesson after students were able to answer the questions correctly. But, what does the fact that they could answer the questions really tell us? We learn through this chapter that we can have our students think more, be more critical, and develop even more ideas if we begin to concentrate more on essential questions rather than the former.
I find it useful when the authors distinguish between overarching and topical questions. These two types of questions both are essential questions and should not be wrongfully categorized as good and bad or useful and not useful. It is the combination of overarching and topical questions that create the best units. The only difference is that topical questions lead to “specific topical understandings within a unit,” and overarching questions “point beyond the topic content toward broader, transferable understandings…” (114). This explains very clearly how the combination of the two can be very successful in the classroom. The authors also make a good point when they mention students’ self-depreciating attitude towards asking questions in the classroom. I can say from experience that students always say, “I know this sounds stupid…” before asking a question because they feel as if the teacher is expecting only one right answer. If we begin to implement this “essential question” design in the classroom, not only will our students gain a deeper understanding of the material, but will gain the confidence to be more inquisitive and critical as well.
I agree with you when talking about the distinction of overarching and topical questions. It's not about one being more useful than the other, the thing is when are going to use one or the other depending on what we are expecting to know or to get from our students. Using both kinds of questions can be very useful at the end, since we are going to help our students develop a holistic view.
ReplyDeleteThat's right. We need to be aware of the fact that through the appropriate use of "essential questions" we can lead our lessons towards out goals, developing not only the students' knowlege, but also their critical and creative thinking skills.
ReplyDeleteI believe in those questions that make students use English rather than those that make them reflect on English language. Those questions that encourage them to speak and that get their interest and attention.
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