Evaluative and Clarifying Questions in the Classroom
Questions are powerful tools that teachers use to stimulate thinking, assess understanding, and guide learning. Two key types are Evaluative Questions and Clarifying Questions.
1. Evaluative Questions
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Purpose: Encourage students to analyze, judge, and form opinions based on evidence or reasoning.
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Characteristics:
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Require critical thinking and reflection.
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Often open-ended and opinion-based.
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Encourage students to compare, contrast, and justify their responses.
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Examples:
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“Which solution do you think is most effective, and why?”
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“Do you agree with the character’s decision in the story? Explain your reasoning.”
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2. Clarifying Questions
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Purpose: Help students understand concepts, ideas, or instructions more clearly.
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Characteristics:
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Seek additional information or explanation.
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Aim to resolve confusion and ensure comprehension.
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Often follow initial responses or instructions.
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Examples:
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“Can you explain what you mean by that?”
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“What steps did you take to arrive at this answer?”
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Classroom Relevance
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Evaluative Questions: Promote critical thinking, decision-making, and reasoning skills.
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Clarifying Questions: Ensure accurate understanding and reduce misconceptions.
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Together, these questions enhance engagement, discussion, and deeper learning.
Practice MCQs
MCQ 1
Which of the following best describes an evaluative question?
A) Seeks additional explanation for better understanding
B) Encourages students to analyze, judge, and justify their response
C) Requests a yes/no answer
D) Focuses only on memorization
✔ Correct Answer: B) Encourages students to analyze, judge, and justify their response
MCQ 2
Which question is an example of a clarifying question?
A) “Do you agree with the solution?”
B) “Can you explain how you solved this problem?”
C) “Which option is better and why?”
D) “What do you think about this character’s choice?”
✔ Correct Answer: B) “Can you explain how you solved this problem?”
MCQ 3
Why are evaluative questions important in the classroom?
A) They promote critical thinking and decision-making
B) They replace all other types of questions
C) They discourage discussion
D) They test only factual recall
✔ Correct Answer: A) They promote critical thinking and decision-making
MCQ 4
What is the main purpose of clarifying questions?
A) To confuse students
B) To ensure understanding and resolve misconceptions
C) To evaluate students’ opinions
D) To summarize the lesson only
✔ Correct Answer: B) To ensure understanding and resolve misconceptions
