The Right Question Institute has developed the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) as a way to support students in asking questions. This module will guide you through this process.
To learn more about supporting students in questioning and how to implement the QFT in your curriculum, explore the materials below.
Question Formulation Technique Modules
- Module 1: Question Focus
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"The rigorous process of learning to develop and ask questions offers students the invaluable opportunity to become independent thinkers and self-directed learners." — Make Just One Change, p. 3
What is a Question Focus? Watch this video to learn more about what a Question Focus is and how to develop one. (~7½ minutes)
Try it: Consider an upcoming unit or lesson. Look over some of your existing prompts and think about how you might change them into a Question Focus (QFocus).
- Module 2: Producing Your Own Questions
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"The more you ask questions, the more thoughts come to your head and it helps expand your learning." — Make Just One Change, p. 57
How do we support students in learning to ask questions? Watch this video to learn about the rules and steps for producing questions. (~6½ minutes)
Try it: Using the QFocus from Module 1, begin the QFT process by:
- Rules for Producing Your Own Questions — introduce to students
- Templates for Discussing the Rules — provide to students
Once the discussion is complete, have students begin producing their own questions!
- Module 3: Improving Your Questions
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"Students who learn the differences between closed- and open-ended questions climb a sharp learning curve in a very small amount of time." — Make Just One Change, p. 74
How do we support students in improving their questions? Watch this video to learn more. (~6½ minutes)
Try it: Now that students have produced their own questions, begin the improving process by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of closed- and open-ended questions:
Once the discussion is complete, have students begin improving their own questions!
- Module 4: Prioritizing Your Questions
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"The ability to prioritize may be one of the most important — yet too often overlooked — skills that a student can acquire in his or her formal education." — Make Just One Change, p. 87
How do we support students in prioritizing their questions? Watch this video to learn more. (~6½ minutes)
Try it: Now that students have improved their questions, begin the prioritizing process:
- Steps for Prioritizing Questions
- Reporting Guidelines — provide to groups
- Wrap It Up
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Watch this video to wrap up your learning about Supporting Students in Questioning. (~9 minutes)
Now that you have completed this module, please complete the short questionnaire to receive your contact hour certificate.
Resources & Next Steps
- Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions — Dan Rothestein and Luz Santana
- The Right Question Institute — Resources and videos of the QFT process
- The Curious Classroom — Harvey "Smokey" Daniels