Observation 1.

Focus Question: How does the teacher increase participation during questioning?
Class/Teacher Year 9 Social Studies, Miss Hayward

Period 4 (Thursday 2 November)

Topic The Three Articles of the Treaty of Waitangi (Three P’s)

Timeframe 1:30 – 2:30 pm (Period 4) core practice – implemented at different stages throughout the lesson 20 mins

Core Practice Questioning (Part of the larger core practice of student engagement)
Description/information of observations
- After completing a fill in the gaps activity in their workbooks Miss Hayward goes through answers with class. Miss Hayward tells
students that she will read the three different articles (Treaty) and when she pauses the students must respond as a class with the correct
word that goes in the gap. This generates choral responses whereby the greater majority of students get involved and wait eagerly for
the gaps where they can respond. When a mistake is made in the response it is usually laughed off as a number of students made the
mistake. 8 mins Increases engagement and provides a non-threatening environment for students to answer. Effective way to go through
answers to closed-questions, which are important for the whole class to know. Easy to recognise any mistakes and correct them.

- Miss Hayward goes through the answers of a current events quiz. As she goes through the answers she divides the class into different
sections A, B, C and D creating a competition out of the quiz. Miss Hayward reads out a question after which the section with the
quickest hands-up is allowed to answer and if they get the answer right they receive a point. 10-12 mins Students get into the game and
every student attempts to be the quickest with their hand-up! Increases participation and students who normally do not engage are
eager to win the competition. However – only one person from each section has an opportunity to answer the question - it tends to be a
student who always participates or a student that is perceived as a ‘high ability’ student. Miss Hayward does attempt to ensure that
different people from each group answer – but it is not always possible.
Observation 2.

Focus Question: How does the teacher implement questioning in the lesson and what techniques are
used to engage learners?
Class/Teacher Year 10 Social Studies, Miss Hayward

Period 4, (Tuesday 19 September)

Topic MMP/FPP System (Government)

Timeframe 1:30 – 2:30 pm (period 4), core practice implemented at various stages in the lesson – around 18 mins

Core Practice Questioning (part of the wider core practice of engagement)

Description/information of observations
- At the beginning of the lesson Miss Hayward teaches students about the MMP system through the use of a self-made diagram with card.
As she goes through the different aspects of MMP e.g. number of votes one party would have – she asks the students to provide this
answer by referring to the number of cards (votes). Only volunteers (hands-up) called on. 8 mins Questions are low-level closed
questions that require students to ‘identify’ or ‘describe’. By asking the question prior to asking students to respond, all students have
an opportunity to think about the question and participate. Hands-up prevents call outs. Asking different students with their hands-up
increases participation – although a number of students are still not participating. I note mostly the same students (largely the males)
continue to dominate the questioning session.

- After teaching the key aspects of MMP and FPP and providing further information via YouTube clips, Miss Hayward asks students to
respond to high-level questions, e.g. “Which system (MMP/FFP) do you think is fairer and why?” She implements wait-time of around
four seconds. Miss Hayward elicits responses from all around the class, by saying she needs an answer from the left side of the room,
the middle and the right. Some students (mostly the girls) who are usually quiet respond when their section of the room is asked,
students are still expected to raise their hands so some students still keep quiet. 10 mins By asking high-level questions after students
have had some practice with the new concepts more cognitive responses are attained. This was also most probably helped by the
increased wait-time. Questioning technique increased engagement (to an extent) – perhaps targeted questioning of specific students
would be more effective.