Asking and Answering Questions

Makayla Kocher, Educational Development Specialist

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17 August 2026

TA Orientation 2026

BREAKOUT SESSION #

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Our Learning Outcomes for this Session:

Asking and answering questions

At the end of the session, you will be able to:

• ask questions that span the levels in Bloom’s taxonomy
• identify strategies for responding productively to students’ questions and answers
• apply practices that encourage students to ask more questions of their own
• explain methods for encouraging students to answer questions during class

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Beginning Reflection

On a sticky note, jot down as many responses as come to mind:

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Q: What gets in the way of students asking & answering questions during class?

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Beginning Reflection: Debrief

Q: What gets in the way of students asking & answering questions during class?

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Share at your table and then identify your table’s common takeaway or biggest barrier.

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Where to Start? Framing Your Role

• Questions are not just checks for content understanding; they are tools for building belonging, agency, and intellectual confidence.
• Relentless welcome: every interaction communicates “you are welcomed here” and “you are a valued part of our community”
• Mentoring in the moment: short 30-second authentic exchanges during Q&A validate student capacity
• Reframing the TA Role:
• Share your own authentic experiences as students
• Intentionally leave space and pause for questions
• Normalize “I don’t know, but let me find out!”

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Small Group: Brainstorming

Based on your experience in the classroom (as GTA or student):

1. What practices might encourage more students to ask more questions?
2. What practices might discourage students to ask more questions?

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Reporter = Person who has the earliest (am) start to their fall semester

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Think-Pair-Share: The Power of Wait Time

Think

Q1: Why is wait time critical when asking and soliciting questions in the classroom?

Q2: What strategies increase your wait time?

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Pair:

Stand up and find someone you haven’t yet interacted with during this session

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Share:

Take turns sharing your initial responses to these questions

Center for Teaching and Learning

The Power of Wait Time

Wait time is important both when asking questions and asking for questions.

Proving wait time has several benefits:

• the length of student responses
• speculative thinking
• the number of questions asked by students
• student-student interactions
• the variety of students volunteering in discussions
• student confidence and student achievement

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Soliciting Questions from Students

• Avoid: "Any questions?" or the truncated "Questions?" or "Ok?" or "Is that clear?"
• Try out other formulations:
• "I'm sure at this point you'll have some questions, so let me try to answer them."
• "This is a complex point, so please ask me questions about it."
• “What questions do we have about ___?”

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Give students the opportunity to pause, reflect, and formulate their thoughts into questions.

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Center for Teaching and Learning

List in Pairs: Asking Effective Questions

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Q: What kind of questions might get the most student responses?

• List your answers with a peer to your right.

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Asking Effective Questions

• Have a clear purpose and phrase questions clearly.
• Know your subject matter so you can dedicate your attention to observing and directing students’ mental processes rather than focusing on your notes.
• Don’t answer your own questions.
• Don’t criticize, ignore or interrupt a student.
• Re-explain the information about which a student is uncertain.

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Asking Effective Questions

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• Ask probing questions to provide a hint or clue that will assist students in strengthening their initial response.
• Ask questions so that all, including non-volunteers, are included.
• Ask convergent and divergent questions
• Convergent: single accepted correct answer
• Divergent: a number of possible answers.
• Use different levels of questions in Bloom’s Taxonomy

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Benjamin Bloom created a taxonomy of measurable verbs to help us describe and classify observable knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors and abilities.
• His theory is based upon the idea that there are levels of observable actions that indicate something is happening in the brain (cognitive activity.)

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy

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Small Group Discussion: Apply & Prep Questions

Refer to the Bloom’s Taxonomy handout and the handout on asking and answering questions

Reflect on and work through the following prompts with your table team:

• Skillful Practices: Which of these asking/answering practices have you seen used most skillfully by past instructors?
• Discipline Application: Imagine teaching a lab/tutorial in your discipline: which specific strategies will you adopt and why?
• Drafting Questions: Practice writing sample questions for your fall course spanning Remembering up to Creating.

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Center for Teaching and Learning

Final Reflections

Q: what tools or tips can you use from this workshop to address your goal? What goals can you make going forward to implement strategies for asking and answering questions?

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Center for Teaching and Learning

What questions do you have?

Asking and answering questions

Center for Teaching and Learning

International TA welcome

• In ILC 401, 3:45-4:30 PM
• Tim Randall from International Student Services will be there to answer your questions
• We’ll have a panel of experienced international TAs to share their experiences

• We’ll draw THREE winners
• Each can choose from among the prizes

TA orientation evaluation

Please provide feedback about the program. This also serves to register your attendance for the afternoon.

bit.ly/TAO26eval