Current Issue
The Science of Classroom Questions
Excellent Educator
Volume 3 | Issue 16 | August 16 2026
Preface
A good classroom question can do far more than elicit an answer. It can capture attention, create thinking time, deepen reasoning, and eventually encourage students to become question-makers themselves.
In this issue, The Science of Classroom Questions, we follow that journey—from the questions teachers ask to the questions students learn to ask. The five Classroom Briefs offer practical insights from research to help teachers make questioning a more purposeful part of everyday learning.
Editorial Team
Excellent Educator
Table of Contents
| Page | Article |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Question That Keeps Students Thinking |
| 2 | The Power of a Silent Pause in Questioning |
| 3 | From “What?” to “Why?” |
| 4 | When Questions Become a Thinking Method |
| 5 | When Students Start Asking the Questions |
Classroom Briefs, Issue 3(16)
The Question That Keeps Students Thinking
Classroom questions can do more than check whether students know an answer—they can keep students mentally engaged with the lesson. Research on classroom discourse shows how questioning can encourage attention, reflection, participation and problem-solving……………….. Read Classroom Brief
The Power of a Silent Pause in Questioning
A question may need more than a few seconds of silence before students can formulate a thoughtful response. Research on wait time suggests that giving children more time to think can increase student talk, response length and exchange of ideas………………..Read Classroom Brief
From “What?” to “Why?”
Not all questions demand the same level of thinking. Moving from questions that ask students to recall information toward questions requiring explanation, evidence and analysis can encourage higher-order thinking………………..Read Classroom Brief
When Questions Become a Thinking Method
Socratic questioning uses a sequence of questions to help students examine ideas rather than simply receive answers. Research with young children suggests that structured questioning and discussion can support the development of critical-thinking behaviours…………………Read Classroom Brief
When Students Start Asking the Questions
What happens when students move from answering the teacher’s questions to creating their own? Research on student-generated questions suggests that the process can support active learning while revealing students’ understanding and misconceptions…………………..Read Classroom Brief