The Question Students Need When Stuck

Motivation may improve when students learn to ask themselves a better question.

Excellent Educator, 3(17), 4, 2026

🔬 Research in Brief

A study of 7,475 adolescent and adult students examined a “strategic mindset”: the tendency to ask questions such as “What can I do to get better at this?” or “Is there a different way I can do this?”, particularly when learning becomes difficult or unproductive.

Across the studies, students with a stronger strategic mindset tended to use more effective learning strategies, which in turn predicted better academic performance. In the adolescent sample, the relationship held across different grade levels and examination types.

The researchers then tested a brief, scalable intervention. Students were not simply taught a list of study techniques. Instead, they were encouraged to develop the mental habit of asking strategy-generating questions when they encountered difficulty. The intervention increased intentions to use effective learning strategies in a randomized experiment.

However, there is an important qualification. In the large secondary-school field experiment, the intervention did not benefit all students equally. It worked better for students who were already more academically prepared and in classrooms where peers were actively engaged.

✔ Try Tomorrow

• When a student says “I can’t do this,” ask: “What could you try differently?”
• Replace “Why are you stuck?” with “What have you tried, and what could you try next?”
• Model the question yourself when you make a mistake.
• Build the question into worksheets, homework and revision routines.

★ One Key Takeaway

The goal is not just to teach students more strategies. Teach them to look for a better strategy when the first one stops working.

Keywords

Strategic mindset, learning strategies, metacognition, self-regulated learning, academic performance, persistence, student motivation

📖 Original Research

Chen, P., Teo, Q. K., Foo, D. X. Y., Jiang, Y., Sun, L., Ong, X. L., et al. A strategic mindset predicts and promotes effective learning and academic performance. npj Science of Learning, 10, 74.