{"id":132,"date":"2021-10-06T16:45:21","date_gmt":"2021-10-06T15:45:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/?page_id=121"},"modified":"2026-03-31T14:05:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:05:49","slug":"questioning","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/sb\/earlylevelportal\/questioning\/","title":{"rendered":"Questioning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Questioning<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u201c<\/cite>Our highly-skilled staff know when to observe play and interact using well-considered questions, commentary and modelling to support and extend children\u2019s learning. <\/em><\/p>\n

We listen carefully to all children\u2019s views and are attuned to their needs, interests and learning styles. We value their opinions and support all children to express their views<\/em>\u201d<\/cite><\/p>\n

(A Quality Improvement Framework for Early Learning and Childcare Sectors<\/strong><\/a>, Sept 2025, p40)<\/p>\n

Questions are often used to assess a child\u2019s knowledge or initiate an interaction.\u00a0 Use questioning carefully; practitioners need to use their knowledge of the child, their age and developmental stage\u00a0to inform whether these are closed questions or open\/possibility questions that demand more complex and higher-order thinking (Blooms Taxonomy<\/a>, 2021).<\/p>\n

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A child\u2019s ability to understand and respond to questions is linked to their developmental stage.\u00a0 In recognising how comprehension of different questions develops, we can ensure that we pitch the developmentally correct level of question to a child.\u00a0 The diagram below demonstrates how a child\u2019s understanding of questions develops from simple comments, choice and yes\/no questions to the more challenging what, where, who, or when questions.\u00a0 A child in Primary 1 may still find why or how questions challenging.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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(\u2018Words Up\u2019 Early Level 1 training<\/a>, Highland Literacy, 2018)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Allow children thinking time; time to reflect on the question\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n

Practitioners can scaffold thinking skills for those who need support to answer.<\/p>\n

Plan for questions and interactions where appropriate to support the\u00a0intentional planning<\/strong><\/a>, which will help extend thinking while encouraging problem-solving, deeper thinking and creativity<\/strong><\/a> (Sustained Shared Thinking<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Our learning environment needs to be skilfully planned to enable children to develop their vocabulary and questioning skills through curious, imaginative, experimental, and creative opportunities.\u00a0 The children should have many opportunities to ask questions as part of their learning indoors and outdoors.<\/p>\n

Asking a question can make adults and children feel under pressure, so be sure to tune into a child.\u00a0 If they do not answer a question, avoid asking a second one.\u00a0 Instead, transform a question into a comment.<\/p>\n

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(\u2018Words Up\u2019 Early Level 1 training<\/a>, Highland Literacy, 2018)<\/p>\n

For example, if the original question was \u201cHow are you making those bubbles?\u201d we could use the following alternative comments:<\/p>\n