Questioning Students and Teaching Students to Question

Program Description

The session begins with a general introduction to the interrelation of questioning and learning, and why it is essential to pose questions in order to master content and discipline the mind. This first session closes with participants' own questions.

It is followed by hands-on sessions which focus on small group activities, all centered on strategies for fostering productive questioning in classes, in relation to readings, and in using the basic elements of reasoning (purpose or goal, problem or question at issue, assumptions, data or facts, concepts and theory, implications and consequences, alternative points of view) to generate insightful questions.

Each session thereafter is designed to build on the previous sessions and involves

1. directed practice in Socratic questioning and
2. the design of assignments, activities and assessment tools for same. Specific topics include: questioning to discover the structure of thought, questioning to develop the logic of one's own thought, forms of questioning as modes of thinking, assessing thinking through disciplined questioning, the role of questioning in reading and writing, questioning and the disciplining of the mind.

Participants will:

1. form a basic concept of the interrelation of questioning and learning and an understanding of why it is essential to question in order to master content and discipline the mind;
2. construct and share questioning strategies that foster the simultaneous development of disciplined thinking and learning;
3. form a basic concept of how to question students so that they, in turn, analytically question what they read, write, think, and believe.

What Participants Said...

• The Theory/Framework to guide thinking.
• Has inspired me to try new strategies in my class.
• Great materials.
• Learned the different ways of asking questions.
• Clear up some doubts which I had earlier.
• Thought-provoking, helps me see the fundamental importance of (teaching) critical thinking.
• Can pick up ideas to promote critical thinking.
• More mindful about how to ask critical questions.
• Ideas to try out in my classrooms.
• I can apply in my subjects and the presenter provides valuable tips.
• Provided a more structured way to give students a framework for questioning.
• The presenter is very knowledgeable in this area of expertise.
• How to think of questions to ask.
• Learning is only achieved through questioning.
• I have learned the importance of pupils’ asking questions.
• Relevant to my specific subject.
• The Thinker Guides are very useful.
• Provides a good overview & fundamental to the topic of critical thinking.
• Given ideas for student engagement & questioning for critical thinking.
• The resources are wonderful.
• New skills in the art of questioning.
• Greater awareness of various types of questions to ask and its value in deep understanding.
• Understand critical thinking & try to get students to ask questions.
• A list of “standard” questions that I can use in class.
• Formal structure to think about CT.
• Giving a framework for CT.
• Direct application to helping students engage in critical thinking.
• Clarified some ideas.
• Creates awareness of what I am already doing and what I can do more to improve learning.
• The strategies provided are useful in class.

About the Presenter: Dr. Gerald Nosich

Dr. Gerald Nosich is a noted authority on critical thinking and has given more than 250 workshops on all aspects of teaching critical thinking. Since the mid-1980s he has become committed to teaching critical thinking across the curriculum. He is convinced that the only way for students to learn a subject matter is to think their way through it. He is the author of Reasons and Arguments (Wadsworth, 1982).  His second book, Learning to Think Things Through: A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum, has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

Dr. Nosich has given workshops for instructors at all levels of education in Singapore, the U.S., Canada, Thailand, Lithuania, Austria, and Germany.  He has worked with the U.S. Department of Education on a project for National Assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills; given teleconferences sponsored by PBS and Starlink on teaching critical thinking within subject-matter courses; served as a consultant/evaluator for SACS Accreditation of programs at various colleges and universities emphasizing critical thinking; and has been featured as a Noted Scholar at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of numerous articles, audio and video tapes on critical thinking. He has been Assistant Director at the Center for Critical Thinking at Sonoma State University, and is an associate of the Center and the Foundation for Critical Thinking.  Dr. Nosich is Professor Emeritus at Buffalo State College in NY, and Professor Emeritus at the University of New Orleans.

Dr. Nosich has not only focused on teaching critical thinking skills in subject-specific areas, but is also adept at teaching critical thinking across the curriculum.  Dr. Nosich is a witty presenter whose down-to-earth sense of humor adds spice to his practical insights.

Click here to watch Dr Noisch in action

Registration Details

Course Code: CT3031522

Topic: Questioning Students and Teaching Students to Question

Presenter: Professor Gerald Nosich

Date: 25 May 2023, Thursday

Time: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm

Mode of Delivery: Face to Face

Venue: To be confirmed

Closing date: 24 March 2023, Friday

Click Here to Register

Workshop Fee: S$650.00 per participant. If two or more participants from the same school/organization attend the same course, the discounted fee will be S$585.00 per participant for that particular course. The fee includes two tea breaks and one lunch. The fee is subject to GST.

Other Information: Registration is on a first-come-first-serve basis. No refunds will be made for cancellations or in the case of absentees. The Academy accepts replacements for registered participants who cannot attend for whatever reasons.

School/Cluster-Based Workshop Registration
Please contact Joseph Loy by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or tel: 6363 0330 on the cost of conducting the workshop.