Questioning is one of our main communication and knowledge building tools. In this workshop John McWhirter will introduce a number of new language distinctions and models that will be the basis for developing effective questioning and effectively responding to questioning. Participants will learn many new distinctions, models, and processes, and develop new skills for investigation, questioning, designing effective questions and for effectively responding to questions.
Effective Questions
We all know the importance of asking good questions. But questions are only “good” if they get the desired response. To understand what makes a question a good question we need to understand the different responses that questions elicit. Indeed, a question only functions as a question if you on we need to check the response against why we are asking the question, only then can we know if we are getting a “good answer”. On their own there are no powerful questions. Questions are only powerful and useful if the response that they get is relevant and useful.
The importance of how we respond to questions has been largely overlooked, even though this is of vital importance. Questions and responses are a necessary system of communication to study if you want to understand what works and how they work.
Effective Questioning and Responding
Questioning is one of our main communication and knowledge building tools. In this workshop John McWhirter will introduce a number of new language distinctions and models that will be the basis for developing effective questioning and effectively responding to questioning. Participants will learn many new distinctions, models, and processes, and develop new skills for investigation, questioning, designing effective questions and for effectively responding to questions.
Most people do not realise that there are many different ways to question and just as many different ways of responding to questioning. Each type of questioning work differently and encourage a different response. This means that sometimes we may not use the most effective type
Questioning:
As well as a single function of questioning there are many different related functions, each with subtle and not so subtle differences, including: Questioning, Asking, Inquiring, Searching, Seeking, Exploring, Speculating, Quizzing, Requesting, Testing, Reviewing, Surveying, Exploring, Inspecting, Canvassing, Confirming, Searching, Delving, Checking, Diagnosing, Scrutinising, Examining, Probing, Prying, Interrogating, Cross-examining, Grilling, Demanding, Challenging, Negating, Undermining, Open up, Investigating, Enquiring, Pondering.
Responding to Questioning:
There are many different ways of responding to questioning, each with subtle and not so subtle differences, including Responding, Answering, Reacting, Repeating, Acknowledging, Replying, Telling, Explaining, Justifying, Saying, Specifying, Defending, Claiming, Arguing, Pleading, Denying, Refuting, Parrying, Avoiding, Rejecting, Dismissing, Ignoring, Retaliating, Re-stating, Filling in Gaps, Deflecting, Joking, De-Railing, Correcting, Diverting, Expanding, Adding, Enriching, Revealing, Upset, Clarifying, Qualifying, Refining, Re-stating, Correcting.
A very popular distinction is made between Open questions and Closed questions. Both types are useful for getting open and closed responses if that is desired. Additionally, DBM® has identified a whole range of questioning between Open and Closed that offers a range of additional options, these are Expanding and Reducing Questions. Understanding the differences and how they works creates a whole spectrum of possible questions.
Effective Investigating
We seldom question in isolation. Usually, our questions are part of a larger investigation. That is the basis and reason for a question.
There are many reasons for questioning, including: To get information, to learn, to understand, to make connections, To know in order to do something, to solve, to enjoy, to enjoy knowing (The Pleasure of Finding Things Out), to Gossip, to love, to transcend, to help, to Check / test / verify, to investigate, to research, to engage in and encourage critical thinking, to share, to show interest, to care, to pass time, to be polite / socialise/ small talk, to criticise, to reject, and challenge.
The reasons are the why and how behind the question.
Knowing the kind of content that is wanted is crucial for selecting the most effective type of questioning and the specific questions to ask.
With an understanding of the different types of responding we can vary our questioning until we get the type of response that we are after. Understanding the reasons can also help us to respond more effectively to questions.
Developing Effective Investigating, Questioning and Questions
In developing Effective Questioning, we have identified a system for questioning and checking. Firstly identifying the reasons for Investigating, then creating the types of Questioning, and from this the specific Questions to ask, then checking that the responses are relevant to our Questioning type and overall Investigation. Checking includes Relevant – Not relevant; Aligned – mis-aligned; Positive and useful – Negative and harmful.
Syllabus includes:
Effective Investigating and Creating Understanding
Reasons for Investigating
Field Model
Investigating, Testing, Checking
Natural, Formal, and Developmental Modelling
Effective Questioning and Responding
Types of Questioning
Types of Responding
Effective Questioning
Questioning different types of content such as Behaviour and Skills, Values, Reasons, Thinking.
Ineffective, Unaligned, and Negative Questioning and Responding
Effective Questions and Answers
Fractal Language Model
Detailing, Scoping, and Connecting Questions
Knowledge Trees Model
Levels of Questioning: That, What, How, Why, That Model
Open, Expanding, Reducing, Closed Questions
