Questions to Spark Dialogue

Questions to Spark Explain what you think about _____? What support can you find for that idea? Dialogue Why do you think _____ happened? Heacox (2002). Examining Viewpoints What do you think the author means by Why do you believe that? Learning Dialogues are good strategies to use to help _____? students explore the text. OCR calls this Circle or Class Discussions. Plan about 10 min. for a typical What might be another point of view? learning dialogue. Extend the time 20 minutes for What does the author want you to believe? very rich topics or when students had some What evidence can you find for that How would this be viewed from the experience. Consider what you want them to explore. conclusion? perspective of _____? Learning Dialogues (LD) focus on ideas, values, issues, and perspectives, not on right answers. To prepare for a LD, students need a foundation of What does the reading say about _____? What is an alternative? Another way? knowledge about a topic. Provide “Think Time.” What do you believe? Why? Restate or rephrase questions for understanding. How are these ideas alike? Different? Keep the conversation going by asking follow-up Checking Assumptions questions. Ask students for reasons and evidence What assumptions are being made? What about _____? (Yellow Sentences). Ask for examples, elaborations, or evidence for their opinions (Red Sentences). Is this always true? What feelings or emotions might have Clarification caused _____? What is meant by _____? What are some other perspectives or viewpoints on this? What do you think? What are the big ideas in _____? Providing Reasons and Evidence Investigating Implications and Give an example of _____? How do you know? Consequences What might happen if _____? Tell us more about _____? Why do you think that is true? If _____ happened, what would be the How does ______relate to _____? Give reasons. Why? result? Support your conclusion.

How could you say that another way? How could we find out _____? What would be the effects of _____?

Summarize what _____ said. Can you think of an example to illustrate What conclusions can you make concerning _____? _____? What do you think is the main problem/issue in _____? Do you agree? Disagree? Why? In what way would _____ change if _____ happened? What is the main point of _____? Explain. What would be an alternative? How could we prove or confirm that? Short Shots: Questions to Challenge Thinking Heacox. (2002)

What do you believe in? How could you _____?

What should be done next and why? How would you propose a plan to _____?

Why do you think that’s the answer? Who would you formulate a solution to Explain. _____?

How can we find out about _____? How would you defend _____?

Why do you think that about _____? How would you state the problem? What some other ways? How would you support your conclusion? What is the most … Useful and why?

Interesting and why?

Effective and why?

Logical and why?

Creative and why?

What are the possible causes of _____?

What are the possible consequences or effects of _____?

What conclusions could you draw of _____?

How would you _____?