For example, “How might you prove that 51 is the solution?” “How do you know that the sum of two odd numbers will always be even?” These questions reveal deeper understanding of students’ reasoning and actions, including making an argument for the validity of their work. For example, “How does that array relate to multiplication and division?” “In what ways might the normal distribution apply to this situation?” Encourage reflection and justification. Ask students to make the mathematics visible.īy this we mean discussing the connections between mathematical ideas and relationships. Research has shown that we often give students less than five seconds to answer a question in math class! When we move so quickly, we lose the chance to see how students are making sense of mathematics. (Source: Minds in Bloom) Give students adequate time to respond. For example, “As you drew the number line, what decisions did you make so that you could represent seven-fourths on it?” “Can you show and explain more about how you used a table to find the answer?” This includes articulating the steps they took to solve a problem or complete a task. Ask probing questions that require students to explain, elaborate or clarify their thinking. These are answer-seeking questions such as “What is the formula for finding the area of a rectangle?” “When you write an equation, what does the equal sign tell you?” While these questions have their time and place (they help to establish what students know), they don’t reveal higher-order thinking or reasoning. Don’t let “information gathering” questions dominate your lesson. It happens to the best of us, which is why it’s so important to be intentional with our questioning and to think about not only the types of questions we are asking but also the pattern in which we’re asking them.īelow we’ve rounded up eight tips to help you focus your questioning and, by doing so, deepen students’ mathematical reasoning. Have you ever taught a math lesson that seemed to be going well-with students active, engaged and producing the right answers-but when you ask kids to explain the reasoning behind their work, they clam up or veer off on a tangent?