One of the simplest and easiest ways to develop kids' thinking skills is by wording questions in the right way. When teachers and parents learn to ask questions that stimulate kids' thought processes, learning can be fun for children of all ages.
Struggling students often find it difficult to manipulate, use and apply data, facts and figures. Showing students how to think through a problem is a skill that can be transferred to other problems, no matter what the subject area.
We shall be taking a look at some of the skills.
• Knowledge
Knowledge involves remembering or recalling appropriate, previously learned information to draw out factual (usually right or wrong) answers.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words and phrases such as: how many, when, where, list, define, tell, describe, identify, etc., to draw out factual answers and test your child's recall and recognition skills.
Sample questions:
How many months make a year?
Who is the current president of United State?
• Comprehension
Comprehension involves grasping or understanding the meaning of informational materials.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words such as: describe, explain, estimate, predict, identify, differentiate, etc., to encourage your child to translate, interpret, and extrapolate.
Sample questions:
Explain how you arrived at the answer.
What is a day after Monday called?
• Application
Application involves applying previously learned information (or knowledge) to new and unfamiliar situations.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words such as: demonstrate, apply, illustrate, show, solve, examine, classify, experiment, etc., to encourage your child to apply knowledge to situations that are new and unfamiliar.
Sample questions:
What is the basic different between Sun and the Moon?
How did George bush react to the war on terrorism?
• Analysis
Analysis involves breaking down information into parts, or examining (and trying to understand the organizational structure of) information.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words and phrases such as: what are the differences, analyze, explain, compare, separate, classify, arrange, etc., to encourage your child to break information down into parts.
Sample questions:
What is one difference between a car and a lorry?
Compare and contrast some significant contributions made by the current prime minister of Malaysia
• Synthesis
Synthesis involves applying prior knowledge and skills to combine elements into a pattern not clearly there before.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words and phrases such as: combine, rearrange, substitute, create, design, invent, what if?, etc., to encourage your child to combine elements into a pattern that's new.
Sample questions:
What might happen if the world ends today?
What if you are given opportunity to stay aboard what will you do?
• Evaluation
Evaluation involves judging or deciding according to some set of criteria, without real right or wrong answers.
Asking the Right Questions:
Use words such as: assess, decide, measure, select, explain, conclude, compare, summarize, etc., to encourage your child to make judgments according to a set of criteria.
Sample questions:
What do all fish have in common?
What might have happened if I never met your Dad?
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun with these skills. When kids enjoy discussions with their parents and teachers, they'll give attention to learning thereby making learning interesting.
"Give a student a 'fish' and you educate them for a day. Give a student a 'fishing rod' and you educate them for life."
