Asking the Right Questions in the Right Way¶

Learning how to prepare for, create, ask, and respond to questions can make all the difference in how you learn and teach the gospel.

Seek the Most Effective Responses¶

As you create questions, try to determine what type of response the question will elicit. Some questions seek a specific type of response—one that corresponds exactly to the question asked.

We ask things like, “What did we study last time?” or “Tell me the name of …” These questions often cause those you teach to freeze up. They think they know the answer but aren’t sure and so are afraid to venture a guess. The teacher often interprets this silence as a sign that the question was too hard, when in reality the question is too basic to elicit anything more meaningful from learners than a quick answer.

In order to generate classroom discussion, a much more useful question is one that invites a variety of thoughtful responses.

“Which of those verses causes the deepest feelings inside of you?” Give them a minute to start talking. Since you are not asking for a specific response, almost anything they say is usable.

Those are the types of questions that invite thinking and feeling as opposed to questions that require recall or simply a statement of facts.

There is a time and place for recall, but the teacher can say much of what needs to be recalled, as in, “Remember that last time we talked about Moroni 1 and how each verse contains some powerful lessons …” Just by my saying that, it will stir up thoughts, and learners will be more likely to jump in and continue the discussion. However, if I say, “What did we talk about last time?” I will usually be met with silence and shrugs.

Ask the Second Question¶

you still have to ask the follow-up question, which is something like: “Why is it so important?” or “Will you give us an example of when it was important in your life?” Those questions can get things going in class, so go right to them and skip the first question. Asking the second question first will save time and keep the discussion moving better.

Write Your Questions Beforehand¶

It is very helpful to do two things as you prepare your lesson. First, write the question out. Don’t just think of it; write it. Choose words carefully and read them over a few times to make sure that the question asks what you want it to ask in a clear way.

Second, ask yourself, what will those I teach do when I ask that question? There have been times when I thought I had a really good question written; then I said it out loud, and as I pictured my class, I knew it would fall flat.

Ask Questions about the Scriptures¶

If you truly want to enhance your ability to create and ask effective questions, you need to learn to ask great questions about the scriptures during your study and preparation time.

One way to approach scripture reading is to do it for personal inspiration. We read chapters and verses to enjoy the beauty found therein and to be edified with doctrine and truth. A different approach, which works better for parents or teachers preparing lessons, is to read the scriptures and probe the scriptures with questions. I do this to stimulate thought as I’m trying to decide how best to help those I teach to understand the scriptures.