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For new science teachers, one of the critical aspects of their practice is whether or not students are engaged in the lesson or lab. As science teachers prepare their lessons, they need to ask themselves: How can I get my students engaged in learning this content? In fact, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have prioritized teaching less science content in favor of making it more meaningful to students. Still, many science teachers tend to struggle with how to keep students effectively engaged throughout a lesson or lab. This struggle has become even more apparent with the increase in virtual learning experiences in K-12 science classrooms today. Yet, if you observe any science classroom, you are bound to hear a steady stream of questions that the teacher and students engage in throughout the lesson. So, what are three strategies science teachers can integrate into their classroom to increase student engagement through effective questioning skills? 

1. Slow Down 

While many teachers feel pressure to cover all of required science content, slowing down and pausing after asking key questions during a science lesson is time worth spending. Wait Time is a deceptively simple teaching technique that is not always simple to implement while teaching, especially for new science teachers. The idea behind Wait Time is for teachers to simply wait after asking key questions during a lesson, lab, demonstration, or discrepant event. Research by science educator Mary Budd Rowe (1986) demonstrates that waiting at least three to five seconds can have two significant impacts on student learning:  

Figure 1. Wait time in action

Wait Time for teachers can be broken down into two different types.  The time after a teacher asks a question is considered Wait Time I. The goal here is to give ALL students time to think. The time a teacher waits following a student’s response is considered Wait Time II. The goal here is to increase student-to-student interaction in class discussion. As shown in Figure 1, the goal of Wait Time I and II (each at least 3-5 seconds) is to increase student involvement in the learning process and shift the teacher’s role from a disseminator of information to a facilitator and guide over the learning process. This is one example of student-centered instruction. 

2. Enhanced Planning 

Effective science teachers spend a considerable amount of time thinking about their lessons and activities, which includes planning key questions they want to ask (and the order in which they are asked). One helpful planning tool is the HRASE strategy—a structured approach that uses different types of questions in a specific order to deepen engagement with science concepts (Penick et al., 1996).  

Figure 2. HRASE questioning strategy 

Different types of questions promote different levels of thinking. Most teachers start with an explanation after a demonstration or discrepant event. However, waiting to ask the “Why” question can boost student curiosity and engagement. The HRASE questioning strategy is one way to plan questions more effectively. The goal is for teachers to spend more time thinking about and planning the questions they ask. 

3. Variety 

Like most effective strategies in teaching, using a differentiated approach can lead to success. Asking different types of questions throughout a lesson and unit can keep students engaged in the learning process. Examples of question types can include: 

Figure 3. Various types of questions to ask 

In addition to the types of questions you ask, the way you ask them can also vary. For example, using both oral and written questions can change the pacing of a lesson and influence how students engage with the content. Varying your questioning strategies helps develop higher-level thinking skills, such as critical and creative thinking. These skills are increasingly important given the rapid changes in STEM fields and the future workplace your students will enter. 

Summary 

For science teachers, implementing these three strategies—wait time, enhanced planning, and variety—into lessons, activities, and labs can increase student interaction and engagement, support the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and promote scientific literacy. 

Resources 

For more information on questioning skills in science teaching please see the following: 

References 

Budd Rowe, Mary. Wait Time: Slowing Down May Be a Way of Speeding Up! Journal of Teacher Education, 37(1): 43-50, 1986.  

NGSS Lead States. Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2013.