Asking Powerful Questions

Session Two

Assign individual student assessment task.

• Ask each student to write up to four powerful questions they would like to ask of their guest. Make it clear that students will NOT be required to ask their questions orally if they do not wish to do so.
• Alternatively, you may wish to have the students independently brainstorm to create a list of possible questions then select the most powerful question from the list to evaluate, using the criteria.

Provide opportunities for formative assessment.

• Involve the students in self reflection or peer coaching using the Student Checklist to evaluate the quality of their questions. Encourage students to make adjustments to their questions based on the evidence identified in the checklist.
• Emphasize that part of the skill in learning to ask powerful questions is in being able to identify when a question could become more powerful and then making the change.