Challenging Learning Through Questioning

Martin Renton is Challenging Learning′s Director of Consultancy and Evaluations. He is a highly sought-after keynote speaker, leader, facilitator and coach.Martin’s excellent reputation is well earned. His core belief that professional development is not a ‘quick fix’ but a deep process of change has led to some very powerful effects in schools and colleges around the world. Teachers and leaders who have worked with Martin over an extended period of time refer to increased engagement, motivation and progress for all students.Martin ensures that all our Challenging Learning trainers blend theories of learning with active tools for the classroom, giving teachers and leaders the opportunities to put into practice new skills and approaches. The effect can be seen most dramatically in our long-term projects around the world.  The most significant of these are in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.Martin’s knowledge of pedagogy and leadership is borne out of his experiences in schools and colleges as a teacher, leader, consultant and coach.  His early experiences as a nanny (2-9 year olds), then as a teacher and leader in middle schools (9-13 year olds), secondary schools (11-18 year olds) and colleges (16+) have given him a comprehensive insight into how people learn from the age of 2–adulthood. Martin uses these insights to challenge, inspire and engage his audiences.

• List of FiguresThe Challenging Learning StoryForeword by James NottinghamPrefaceAcknowledgementsAbout the AuthorThe Language of LearningIntroductionPart I: How to QuestionChapter 1: Questioning Essentials1.0 The Three Essential Skills1.1 Know Your Intent1.2 Identifying Your Intent1.3 Plan Your Responses1.4 Stay Silent (and Listen)1.5 Review1.6 ReflectionChapter 2: The Basic Questioning Sequence2.0 The IRE Pattern2.1 IRE as Closed Questioning2.2 Problems in IRE2.3 Rethinking the E2.4 Using the Explore Step to Focus on Process2.5 Challenge and the I-R-Explore Pattern2.6 Questioning as Feedback2.7 Review2.8 ReflectionChapter 3: Questioning Tools: Planning Effective Sequences3.0 The Starting Point: Initiate—Where Questions Are Born3.1 A Reflection Section3.2 Your Options After the First Response: Planning With a Flow Chart3.3 Planning to Explore: Stick With It!3.4 Planning Questioning Sequences: The Funnelling Technique3.5 Using the Funnelling Technique to Plan Longer Sequences3.6 So Why Don′t We Explore More?3.7 Prompted to Explore!3.8 Review3.9 ReflectionChapter 4: Questioning Flow4.0 Pause and Paraphrase to Improve Flow4.1 A Reflection Section4.2 Paraphrasing4.3 Getting in Flow4.4 It’s Not About Giving Up Control!4.5 Managing Questioning Sequences in Whole-Class Dialogues: Get the IDEAR!4.6 Questioning Moves in the IDEAR Framework4.7 A Questioning Example in the IDEAR Framework4.8 Impact of the IDEAR Framework4.9 Review4.10 ReflectionChapter 5: Stay Silent (and Listen)5.0 Less Time to Process Means Less Impact5.1 Wait-Time5.2 Think-Time5.3 Think-Pair-Share5.4 Don’t Forget Think-Time 2!5.5 A Taxonomy of Classroom Silences5.6 The Skilful Use of Silences in Effective Questioning Sequences5.7 Review5.8 ReflectionPart II: Questioning and ChallengeChapter 6: Thinking About Challenge6.0 The Benefit of Struggle6.1 How to Think About Challenge in Learning6.2 Questioning to Encourage and Support Struggle6.3 Know Your Intent: Get Into the Learning Zone!6.4 The Learning Pit6.5 The Learning Challenge Stages6.6 Review6.7 ReflectionChapter 7: Questioning Activities to Challenge Thinking7.0 Ranking Exercises7.1 Diamond Nine7.2 Extending Thinking With The Intention to Challenge7.3 Your Role During the Groupwork Stage7.4 Varying the Groupwork to Share Perceptions7.5 Example Diamond Nine Cards for Different Age Groups7.6 Other Shapes for Ranking7.7 Review7.8 ReflectionChapter 8: Questioning for Challenge8.0 Getting Into the Pit!8.1 Intention to Challenge 1: The Counter-Example8.2 Intention to Challenge 2: Comparisons8.3 Intention to Challenge 3: Challenge Assumptions8.4 Intention to Challenge 4: Define Extent8.5 Advanced Questioning Techniques for Increasing Challenge8.6 The Role of the Questioner: Teacher Stances When Questioning for Challenge8.7 Time to Think When Questioning for Challenge8.8 Review8.9 ReflectionPart III: Students and QuestioningChapter 9: Students Learning to Ask Questions9.0 Question Stems9.1 The Question Constructor9.2 5 Ws (and an H!)9.3 Inference Squares9.4 Students Classifying Their Own Questions for Inquiry9.5 Review9.6 ReflectionExample Questioning ScriptsFinal Reflections10 Top Tips for QuestioningReferencesIndex

"James Nottingham’s work on Challenging Learning is a critical element of creating Visible Learners. This new series will help teachers hone the necessary pedagogical skills of dialogue, feedback, questioning, and mindset. There’s no better resource to encourage all learners to know and maximize their impact!"