Students Questioning Students (SQS): a Technique to Invite Students' Involvement

Abstract

A most successful teaching strategy has been developed in my gifted/talented classes. Students question their peers about classwork, homework problems or aspects of the lesson, instead of doing the explaining themselves. Using the Students Questioning Students method (SOS), students stimulate their class-mates to think. Since students are involved in questioning, they become more attentive listeners to other students and to me during the lesson. Often the more capable students ask questions which reflect a high level of thinking skills. The students are taught strategies for asking questions and strategies for providing positive and specific feedback to their peers. With SQS, students have a piece of the action in learning. Their personalities emerge and the process is great fun! The students report that they wished SQS were used in all their classes at The Bronx High School of Science. SQS was a segment of the American Federation of Teachers program, “Teaching Children to Think,” in the series, “Inside Your Schools,” hosted by Steve Alien and shown on national TV in February, 1986. The entire series of programs for 1985–1986 was shown in the New York City area on educational TV in May, 1986. The presentation, which would be suitable for teachers of grades 7 through 12, has been given to the following professional organizations: Alliance for Invitational Education Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Summer Mathematics and Science Institute, Lehman College Sixth World Conference on Gifted and Talented Children The Ontario Association for Mathematics Education.