Consider three types of questions and how to formulate them.
Table 9 Types of questions and ways of their formation
| Communication techniques | Definitions | How to do it? | |
| Open questions | Questions that require a detailed answer | Start your question with: What? How? Why? How? Under what conditions? etc. “What facts (conditions, limitations, benefits, etc.) should we pay attention to?” “What should be done to change the situation?” "What result would be acceptable to you?" “How could we formulate our task?” "What do you mean when you talk about..." “If you take this position, what will be your first actions?” | |
| Closed questions | Questions that require an unambiguous answer (for example, the exact date, name, amount of something, etc.) or the answer "yes" or "no" | When is the project deadline? How many units do you have left in reserve? Do you want to abandon the project? Are you the most interventionist work schedule? etc. | |
| 3. | Alternative questions | Questions with multiple answer options | Do you prefer to perceive information by ear, visually or in combination? Do you prefer that I give you an answer by phone, fax or e-mail? Are you interested in the problems of motivating students, motivating staff or motivating politicians? |
In training, the most important thing is to develop the technique of asking open questions. Closed and alternative questions are given only for the sake of completeness of the classification. Perhaps this is our illness - from the very beginning, without clarifying the problem, immediately formulate our version, and then ask closed questions to check this version. In essence, closed questions are hypotheses, ready-made assumptions that need only be confirmed or refuted. However, our hypotheses may not be about what the partner means or wants to tell us.
Hypotheses are best replaced with open-ended questions that allow the partner to give your version. Alternative questions occupy an intermediate position, but, in essence, these are also hypotheses, it's just that an alternative question contains not one, but several hypotheses.
And all these hypotheses may be wrong.
For example:
Are you suggesting that I play the role of director, so that I play a bad director, a very bad director, or our director?
I offer you the role of director, so that you play yourself.
Most people ask closed questions so automatically that the training here should be to learn how to turn closed questions into open questions. For more information about the possibilities of training the technique of closed questions, see Chap. 7 (exercise "Who is this person").
Open questions should be formulated in such a way that the partner would like to answer them. Meanwhile, an open question can produce a paradoxical negative effect: the partner withdraws into himself, loses interest in the conversation, turns out to be completely discouraged, suddenly unsettled, etc.
The reason for this may be questions that are perceived as hidden accusations, reproaches, unsolicited advice, false interpretations (see below about false interpretations). Often the first, and the most powerful and painful response to a question is "the sound of a touched soul string." "Why didn't you do it?" - ask the person. The answer to this question is the sound of the string: "I am guilty, because I should have done it." "Why do you think so"? - ask another person. The string responds: “If I think so, then I am probably an incompetent, irresponsible, unprincipled, etc. person,” etc.
The reason that many questions are perceived by us not as a request for information, but as an accusation or reproach, is the special position of the question in our culture in general. The right to ask questions is a status privilege. “I am asking the questions here,” - such a statement can only be made by someone who has great authority, power, strength. Therefore, the question is in itself a signal that someone suppressive is addressing us, capable of imposing his will.
In addition, as Yu. N. Emelyanov put it, “in our culture ... condemnation and prohibition are expressed not so much by imperative as by interrogative sentences. Instead of telling a child or a junior, "Don't go!" or “Don’t take it!”, we say: “Where did you go?”, “Why did you take it?” etc. The censure or “administrative delight of the powerful” is also clothed in the form of questions: “When will you stop being late?”, “Where did you see that ...?”, “When will you grow wiser?” (Emelyanov Yu. N., 1991, p. 39).
The response to questions is in the nature of a generalized negative reaction, often regardless of even the intonation of the question. It is better to avoid the negative "triggers" ("starters") of such a negative reaction.
In table. 10 shows typical mistakes in the formulation of questions and options for their constructive replacement.
Table 10Common Mistakes when asking questions
and ways to overcome them
| Typical mistake in the wording of the question | Why is this a mistake? | way to overcome |
| 1. Why? | Hidden accusation: "Your choice is not clear to me, and therefore, it is wrong." | What are the main arguments in favor of this decision? What is the logic behind this choice? How could one confirm the expediency of such a decision? |
| 2. Why don't you...? | Hidden charge: "You chose the wrong path." | What measures could be effective in this situation? How can we justify their effectiveness? |
| 3. How could you agree...? (refuse... invite... do not invite... so answer... do not answer, etc.) | Hidden accusation: “You are not experienced enough (prudent, loyal to the organization”, etc.) | What prompted the positive decision? What prompted you to agree? Could you provide reasons for your decision? |
A careful study of the right column leads us to the conclusion that the most neutral questions are those containing the pronoun "we" or not containing pronouns at all. When the pronoun "you" or "you" is used in a question, the danger of a generalized negative reaction is much higher. This effect can be neutralized only by emphasizing the politeness of the wording.
Small talk techniques
A small conversation is considered in connection with the task of "talking" a partner. However, its functions go far beyond this task. As John Kotter's research (see Chapter 2) has shown, a significant proportion of all conversations that general managers engage in are small talk.
A small conversation is a conversation on an interesting and pleasant topic for the interlocutors, most often not related to the topic of a “big” conversation. Small talk techniques are:
1) quoting a partner;
2) positive statements;
3) informing;
4) an interesting story.
Small talk is a relaxed and pleasant conversation about family affairs, hobbies, funny events. This conversation seems random, incidental, insignificant, spontaneously born out of nothing. It is light, like a butterfly, the flight of which is not planned or controlled by anyone. However, this is only an external impression.
The purpose of a small conversation is to create a favorable psychological atmosphere, to lay the foundations for mutual sympathy and trust. Or - to restore emotional balance, sympathy and trust.
A small conversation should take place in the interlocutor's personal expert zone, touch on aspects of life that are pleasant or interesting to him.
Each person has a professional and personal expert zone.
These zones may have different areas of intersection. Theoretically, one can imagine a person in whom both zones completely coincide: both at work and outside of work, he is interested in doing the same thing, thinking about the same thing and talking about the same thing. Most people, however, have a love life, a home, a hobby...
The high class of small talk is to talk about what is the other person's area of expertise, not your own.
The real masters of small talk are my Swedish colleagues at the Stockholm School of Economics in St. Petersburg. At first, I was struck by how attentive they are to regularly engage in empty talk with each other and with me. Then I began to realize how nice it is when they have such an “empty conversation” with you. Suddenly you “find yourself”, as the English say, in the process of a pleasant, intoxicatingly easy and fascinating conversation. With joy and self-forgetfulness, you share your impressions about what kind of fence you put in your country house or what color of pen paste you prefer. You do not have time to look back, as you are already in the flight of a butterfly of a small conversation.
It turns out that this butterfly, by its appearance, changes the psychological situation in the process of a big conversation. The graph shows the voltage change curve during a large conversation. At first, a small conversation creates a favorable emotional tone. Then the big talk begins, and if negative tension develops during it, the small talk helps to return to the positive zone of tension. This may happen several times during a large conversation. The butterfly of a small conversation helps to restore a relationship that has been slightly shaken as a result of a confrontation, instantly correct the situation, and restore balance.
At first, such an “oscillogram” of a large conversation seemed not quite natural. There is a serious discussion, a sharp divergence of opinion is outlined. Why does a conversation about trifles suddenly start during a coffee break? Yes, to have fun again. Any, even very serious, confrontation is overcome thanks to a small conversation, and a big conversation also ends with laughter about some funny situations that, in essence, have nothing to do with the case.
negative
Voltage
Small talk is a noble technique. The one who starts a small conversation shows generosity towards a partner. Just as Antaeus in ancient Greek mythology gained strength by touching the earth, with his mother Gaia, so the partner becomes stronger by touching his expert zone.
After evaluating the possibilities of small talk in creating and maintaining a favorable atmosphere of interaction, I began to purposefully learn from my Swedish colleagues the art of small talk. Gradually, we managed to comprehend the flight paths of the butterfly. So I formulated four small talk techniques:
1. Quoting a partner.
2. Positive statements.
3. Informing.
4. An interesting story.
You said that you had been to Suzdal before?
I remember you love pastel colors...
You were going to visit this exhibition...
I remember we talked about how you like to take a steam bath in your country house...
I remembered the difference between a wobbler and a lure after our conversation ...
Positive statements
Positive statements about events in the life of a partner, about favorable events in life in general, about shifts for the better, about the achievements of a partner and other people's achievements, about people who are not involved in the conversation, but are known to both interlocutors, etc.
I heard that you were at this wonderful festival on Sunday?
I have already noticed this leather cover of your notebook many times...
It looks like you've started using colored markers when working with text. This seems to be very effective. I'll probably follow your lead.
Now the subway line has already been drawn almost directly to your house, isn't it?
I like that commercial transport has now appeared in the city. When you're in a hurry, it's indispensable.
Such a screen on a computer really will not tire your eyes ...
I recently met Andrew. He was so engrossed in his thoughts! Working on a new project. Wonderful!
Informing
Communication of information that is important, interesting and pleasant for a partner.
I have already seen rubber boats with an echo sounder for sale in a sports shop on Liteiny.
Marina just showed me a magazine with carnival costumes for the New Year. I think there is also a horse costume, very funny. And Marina, by the way, has not yet left the faculty. She's in the cafeteria now.
It turns out that you can choose a vegetarian menu for the entire period of the seminar. Today there will be mushroom soup and roast vegetables.
I learned that everyone can join the excursion to the Hermitage. You need to sign up with a girl named Olga. Tall blonde, she has a name badge on her jacket.
Apple juice is at the other end of the table.
The latest issue of the journal Nonverbal Behavior published data showing that women look longer at those they like, and men look at those who like them ...
Interesting story
Fascinating, captivating storytelling, unexpected, pleasant or spicy, etc.
One teacher from our faculty was supposed to give a lecture on the psychology of perception at the Academy of Arts. According to the schedule, he learned that his lecture was to be in room 315. He went to the third floor, found room 311, then 313, and the next door was without a number. Well, just in case, he enters there, sees the students and asks them: “Is this the third year?” They answer: "No." He went on. Looks, another door and also without a number. He opens it, sees the students and asks: "Is this the third year?" And the students for some reason began to laugh and also said “No”. He went further, opens the third door, which was also without a number, and asks: "Is this the third year?" The answer was thunderous laughter! Hundreds of students literally squealed with delight. The fact is that all three doors led to the same auditorium, 313, and he addressed the same students three times, but from different doors.
The criteria for a "correct" small talk are as follows:
1) he is pleasant;
2) it involves;
3) he disposes;
4) provides food for the next small talk.
Table 11 Common Small Talk Mistakes
| Error type | Examples |
| 1. "Violent interview" (interrogation) | - Well, what makes you happy with your son lately? - enjoys computer... Even too much. - What games does he play?- ? (interlocutor in difficulty) - What are his favorite games?- ? (the interlocutor is in even greater difficulty). |
| 2. "Inventory of life" | - Tell me where you've been lately. - Oh, I'm so tired of traveling that I don't even want to talk about them... - Poor!. ... Well, what's new in your personal life? - You know, you want get distracted at least for a few hours... - Well, then tell me what happened to you good, etc. |
| 3. Degeneration into a big conversation | - Of course you are you planning this winter to ski! I know you love. - Yes, from December 28 I will go to the mountains for a week. - From the 28th? Can you prepare a report? etc. |
| 4. Intriguing "Russian native" | -Weird, New Year on the nose, and nothing was decorated anywhere at the university. Yes, no mood. - What is the mood here, when the salary will be given only on the 31st. We don't even have time to buy gifts. -And there will be no prize? - Of course it won't. etc. |
| 5. "Typical wrong" | Employees of the company gathered in the conference room to congratulate one of the directors on his birthday. Everyone is in full dress as the grand opening of the new course of study begins in 40 minutes. This is an important event, and many think to themselves about whether they managed to do everything ... whether they prepared everything ... Many are worried, including the birthday girl. After congratulations and the invariable - "Happy birthbay" there is a pause. - So, are you ready for Christmas? asks one of the dignitaries. Pause. Many look at each other in disbelief. |
Verbalization Techniques
Now we turn to the actual techniques of active listening. Sometimes they are considered as stages of verbalization - A, C, C or A, B, C, depending on which alphabet the trainer chooses.
Table 12 Active listening techniques
| № | Techniques | Definitions | How to do it? |
| 1. | Verbalization, stage A | Repetition: verbatim reproduction, quoting what was said by the partner | 1. Insert quotes from the partner's statements into your own phrases - So you think...(further quote). As far as I understand you...(further quote) 2. Repeat verbatim the last words of the partner 3. Repeat with interrogative intonation one or two words spoken by the partner |
| 2. | Verbalization, stage B | Paraphrasing: a brief transfer of the essence of the partner’s statement | Try to succinctly formulate what your partner said Follow your partner's logic, not your own logic |
| 3. | Verbalization, stage B | Interpretation: making a suggestion about the true meaning of what is said or about the reasons and purposes of the partner's statement | 1. Ask clarifying questions:- You probably mean...?-You, Perhaps you are saying this because....? - Apparently you want to...? 2. Use the technique of trial questions, or conditional hypotheses: - Is it possible that you hope that...? - Or maybe you would like to...? -Maybe it's more important for you to win than to keep the team? |
These techniques were first formulated by Carl Rogers. And he did use them, especially the first two. I was lucky, I watched the work of Carl Rogers in Moscow. He conducted a demonstration interview with a client in the huge hall of the Faculty of Humanities at Moscow University in 1984. There was an amazing feeling that he was only repeating, gently returning to the client each time her own phrase. Sometimes he combined two phrases into one or generalized them. However, there were almost no interpretations in his work.
In his books, Rogers emphasized that he very rarely uses interpretations because they are useless and sometimes harmful. “If these interpretations ... turn out to be accurate, then they either generate powerful protection, or (worse still) deprive a person of protection altogether, leaving him vulnerable to a blow or broken ...” (C. Rogers, 1970, p. 72) . False interpretations can be even more damaging: “...it hard, when you are mistaken for someone you are not, or when they hear something you didn't say. This causes anger, futility and frustration” (C. Rogers, 1980, p. 12).
However, in Russian culture interpretation is perhaps more familiar than simple, verbatim repetition. In our joint study with M. Ya. Soloveichik, it was shown that technique B - especially if it is formulated as "a brief repetition of the essence of what was said by the partner" - is rated by the participants of the training most highly, technique C, interpretation, is in second place, and technique A, repetition , turns out to be only in the last third place (Sidorenko E.V., Soloveichik M.Ya., 1989). Mere repetition does not seem to be as effective as trying to reproduce the essence or penetrate the true reasons for the statement.
The functions of verbalization techniques are described in the works of N. Yu. Khryashcheva and V. P. Zakharov (Zakharov V. P., 1990; Khryashcheva N. Yu., Zakharov V. P., 1990). In the description of specific exercises in Chap. 7 we will talk about these functions later. And now we will discuss the most common mistakes in the application of verbalization techniques.
Table 13 Common Verbalization Mistakes and How to Overcome Them
| newspaper number | Title of the lecture |
| 17 | Lecture 1 What should be taught: Russian requirements and European standards. Modern liberal arts education: requirements, problems, opportunities. General educational skills and abilities as the basis of educational activities of students. |
| 18 | Lecture 2 The mechanism of skills formation. Drawing up recommendations, memos for students on the implementation of various types of learning activities. Creation of algorithms for students. Development of teaching methods for teachers on the formation of general educational skills in students. Control work number 1. |
| 19 | Lecture 3 How to get started with text. What can any text say? What texts and how can be used in the lessons? When to start working with complex texts? Levels of perception of the text. Types of text information. |
| 20 | Lecture 4 What can be taught and learned when working with text. What can serve as a pointer in a text labyrinth? What can a child learn from one text? Ways of presenting textual information by the teacher. Basic operations of students with text. |
| 21 | Lecture 5 Methods of teaching the formulation of questions to the text. Kinds and types of questions. Question Models: An example of a training lesson on modeling reproductive and productive questions. Teaching texts on question modeling. Problem statement method. |
| 22 | Lecture 6 That will help to check the formation of skills. Criteria approach to the educational activities of students. The use of various types and forms of control. Basic requirements for the development of criteria in the preparation of various types of tasks and works. The system of criteria for typical types of work. Sample assignments with criteria for evaluating student responses. Control work number 2. |
| 23 | Lecture 7Technology of interdisciplinary activity in grades 5–7: history and literature. Technology of interdisciplinary activity (history and literature): integrated lessons, interdisciplinary tests. |
| 24 | Lecture 8Technology of interdisciplinary activity in grades 8–11: history and literature. The specifics of interdisciplinary connections in the lessons of the humanitarian cycle in the senior level. Interdisciplinary Seminars. The use of various types of control at the subject and interdisciplinary levels. |
The final work must be sent to the Pedagogical University no later than February 28, 2010. |
|
Lecture number 5.
Teaching Methods for Asking Questions to a Text
A person asks, looks for an answer to a question - that means he thinks. We adults know this. And children often ask out of curiosity. They ask a lot of questions almost from the moment they start talking. And then they come to our lessons, and we “suddenly discover” that the children either ask few questions or don’t ask at all. And then we ask ourselves: what happened? We come up with interesting tasks, apply motivational techniques that develop a child's interest in learning, in particular in reading, etc.
In this lesson, I propose to reflect together on what questions we ourselves ask students and how we can teach them to ask questions correctly, in different ways and not be afraid to ask.
Now there is a lot of literature, the authors of which talk about the types of questions, about which questions are used for tests, which ones for exams. There are also recommendations on what questions a person expects when applying for a job, and what questions should be asked during an interview ... each other, but did not understand what. Meanwhile, the role of the question in cognition and the transfer of knowledge was of interest to the thinkers of antiquity. How did they ask?
Socrates: “Will the commander do the right thing if, in order to raise the morale of the army, he lies to his soldiers, as if the allies are approaching? Is valor something unified, and justice, sanity and piety are only its separate sides, or are these all synonymous words expressing one concept?
Plato: “Can each of the two parts of this existing unity (namely: the one and being) remain separate: the one without being as its part and being without the one as its part?”
Aristotle: “How can form exist apart from things? After all, there can be no bowl apart from silver. And what is the point of doubling all objects, saying that there is this cup and there is “a cup in general”, that there are these trees and there are “trees in general” in some other, unearthly world? Can this help us understand what a tree is, why it grows from a seed, why it bears fruit?”
Questions of ancient thinkers, and not only ancient ones, require the analysis of information in the first place. If we consider all their questions on a single topic, then it is easy to see that, in addition to analyzing information, the questions require both synthesis and evaluation of the text. And what questions do we mainly ask students studying the same texts? “Who”, “what”, “where”, “when” - that is, requiring memorization of information. The same types of questions are contained in textbooks on various school subjects - the answers to them require only to reproduce the information read.
Other questions are also heard at literature lessons (examples are taken from various issues of the Literature newspaper, from the heading “I'm going to a lesson”):
- What attracts the heroine to the characters of these characters?
- What does the hero look like?
What is the hero thinking about?
- What two worlds does the dream motif open?
Who is the hero of the poem addressing?
- What happens in the parents' house?
- Does the heroine evoke sympathy, pity, irritation or admiration in you?
- What qualities of character did the author endow with his hero?
In these questions, only the interrogative words are different, but the questions themselves also require only the reproduction of information. Even if the question prompts reflection (see the penultimate one), the answer is given in it, and the student may have a fifth answer option that is not in our question, therefore, he will remain silent.
Of course, such questions are needed, as they allow us to test the knowledge of students. The technique of using such questions has been around for a long time. B. Bloom in the middle of the twentieth century created the theory of pedagogical goals, taxonomy is the definition of learning objectives through a sequence of levels of thinking from the main, understanding and application knowledge, up to high levelsanalysis, synthesis and evaluation(Bloom famously identified six levels of thinking.) Bloom's classification, despite the fact that it was published in the late 1950s, is still under discussion. Many people see only disadvantages in it, since the given levels allow only knowledge to be assessed (examples of test questions are given). However, according to B. Bloom's taxonomy, it is possible to put questions to test knowledge and at the same time stimulate thinking.
1. Knowledge:
questions to remember information.
2. Understanding:
questions that allow students to understand the meaning of the transmitted information and use it differently than in the text: compare objects, illustrate a story, identify and clarify the main idea. For example: What words or sentences give an idea of the character of the hero?
3. Application:
questions to understand the information received, which will help students apply the knowledge gained in a similar situation. To do this, they need to be asked to select the necessary facts, report them or solve the problem. For example: what would you do if such a hero met you on the way?
4. Analysis:
students must break the information into small parts so that its structure becomes clear. Such an operation will allow them to see different points of view and discuss them, then answer the questions “why” and “why”, that is, determine motivation, reasons, compare events or draw a conclusion from the facts received.
5. Synthesis:
students need to connect small parts in such a way as to create something new (a different plot ending, a solution to a problem) or predict the development of events.
6. Rating:
students evaluate information based on personal experience or a criterion given to them, that is, they must express an opinion, recommend a solution, discuss a topic, defend a certain point of view. Questions like this start with how do you think?..
This classification, in our opinion, is interesting because it essentially reflects the stages of our lesson (in its classical form). In addition, it teaches us adults not only to correctly formulate questions, but also to follow a sequence that reflects the thought process itself. However, there are indeed disadvantages in this approach: the Bloom method allows you to evaluate only logic, and our subject is connected with emotions, associations ...
Of course, in literature lessons, we try to formulate various questions, including those that encourage the student to think, analyze, explore the text, while sometimes not knowing either about Bloom's taxonomy or any other method. The problem is not with us, but with do they know how
they, our students
to ask such questions, that is, encourage themselves to think?
And one more thing: probably, a high school student should know about the various methods of posing questions, since he needs to participate in discussions, make presentations at conferences, and defend himself at the appeal commission. What about a 5th or 6th grader?
Having studied at one time the literature on the methods of setting questions, summing up the knowledge gained, we compiled a lesson for the fifth graders, which we call so - "Question Modeling Lesson". We do it necessarily around the end of the first quarter, when we teach them the basic general educational skills (see previous lectures).
Here is how such a lesson can be built.
1st stage: conversation.
What did the philosopher mean when he said: “A smart question is already half the knowledge”(F. Bacon)?
Reasoning students over the concept of "smart question";
Reasoning why a “smart question” is only half the knowledge.
In the course of reasoning, students independently come to the conclusion that a “smart” question is one in the formulation of which there is information-a hint for reflection and the answer to which cannot be given in one word or phrase. Perhaps, they say, it will be necessary to seek help from someone or something. A “stupid” question is one that can be answered in one word.
2nd stage: an experiment that allows you to turn to personal childhood experience. The questions are taken from the practice of psychologists.
Who broke toys as a child?
Why did you break them?
Psychologists are right, each time the children answer unmistakably: it was interesting to find out how the machine works, why the eyes of the doll move, what is knocking inside etc. And to really have an experiment, you can bring some unnecessary toy and, before asking students questions, create an atmosphere that encourages you to break the toy and tell everyone what is inside and how it “works”. This experiment is necessary for students to consciously move on to the third stage.
3rd stage: synthesis of personal childhood experience and new knowledge. The teacher asks questions, the answers to which, together with the students, writes down in the form of a diagram (shown below).
What is the origin of the question?
When you broke toys, who did you ask?
To whom did you address questions such as: what is a TV? why does the beetle fly? why are the leaves turning yellow?
What questions are of interest to you?
Which of these questions help you think, and which only help you remember the answer?
As for questions to the text, the teacher himself needs to explain to the students that they can ask the same questions to the teacher (to learn the incomprehensible, unknown), the author of the works (to have a dialogue with him) and ask themselves about what they have read (to have a dialogue with themselves). And here we introduce only two concepts that are clear to modern children: there are reproductive
questions - they give knowledge, productive
Questions encourage us to think. Model questions are also written in a notebook. In addition to model questions, we offer children clues to help them “find” a question in a text or something that will allow them to ask a question. They must first of all pay attention to contradictions, to the incomprehensible (hard to explain), something surprising, to find some unconvincing arguments, ambiguous explanations, insufficient information about the event, the hero, his actions, etc. In our opinion, this is the most important: it contains the answer to the question, what in the text prompts the child to ask a question. And when he reads on his own at home, he will know how to have a dialogue with the author and with yourself.
Three stages of work take no more than 20 minutes in the lesson, as they are dynamic and fun. The next stage is practical, where students learn to formulate questions to an unfamiliar text using models.
What is the origin of the question?
Question Types
A reproductive question begins with the words: Who? What? How? Where? Where?
Productive Questions(special):
Productive Questions(separating):
If you know..., then...?
if... then why...?
… or ….?
Note:
when we write down model questions with students, be sure to pay attention to the combination of conjunctions and punctuation marks. The list of models can be expanded.
4th stage: reading a short work and formulating questions on models. At the training stage, we mainly choose oriental tales: they are convenient because, in addition to the events and actions of the characters, they contain reasoning and hidden questions. In addition, when choosing texts, we intentionally delete those phrases or sentences that contain answers (for example, in the tale of Iskander the Two-horned there is no sentence that Alexander the Great was called that in the East in the old days, and in the tale “The Stream of Eloquence” descriptions). Printed texts are distributed to each student and, since the texts are small in volume, they are pasted into notebooks. In the texts, students emphasize that prompts a question and then ask questions together. We provide examples of two texts; in the first lesson we work with one, and the second can be used in the next for independent work: to check the ability of students to formulate questions.
From the first lesson, students leave with a diagram in their notebooks, with models of reproductive and productive questions, with a text and questions to it. But most importantly, they leave with the knowledge of what a smart question is and how it can be formulated.
STREAM OF eloquence
Uzbek fairy tale, in abbreviation
The famous storyteller Seyfutdin, nicknamed the Eloquent, lived in Khorezm. His fame, like a deep river, flowed from one country to another, and many came to Khorezm from afar to enjoy the honey of his conversation and drink from the source of his eloquence.
One rich Bukhara merchant heard about him and decided to invite him to his place. He put rich gifts on a silver tray, went to the caravanserai and bowed to the old caravan-bashi, who was setting off with camels to Khorezm. The merchant said:
If you bring Seyfutdin the Eloquent to me, these gifts will be yours.
There was no price for gifts, the caravan-bashi agreed and brought the famous Seyfutdin to Bukhara. The merchant met the guest with the greatest honor. He showered him with gifts, and when the guest had a rest, the merchant called his relatives, friends and neighbors, seated the narrator on a precious carpet and asked him to please everyone with flowers of eloquence and diamonds of wit. Seyfutdin the Eloquent began his first story. What praises were showered by the guests of the narrator after listening to his first story! They spoke words of flattery to him like sweet sherbet. And the encouraged Seyfutdin began the second story. The second caused such delight that many of the listeners fell from the pillows, and the owner himself became like a man who had lost his mind and sat with a disheveled beard and bulging eyes. And although the old custom forbade women and children to be present at the conversation of men, they fled from all over the house to listen to the third story of Seyfutdin. Birds from all over the garden flocked to enjoy the fourth story. When the famous storyteller began his fifth story, all the camels and donkeys from the market ran under the windows of the merchant's house.
The night passed, and the words flowed like a golden river from the mouth of the narrator. The day came, and the indefatigable Seyfutdin told everything, and it seemed that there would be no end to the flow of his eloquence. When Seyfutdin began his hundred and first story, the owner politely offered him to rest and refresh himself with tea, but, carried away by his art, Seyfutdin no longer saw or heard anything - he continued to tell. He told and told, but on the two hundred and first story, even the most patient and hardy ones slowly left the merchant's house. At 301, women and children fled. On the 401st donkeys and camels fell dead. And Seyfutdin told everything. Only the host did not dare to break the duty of hospitality; he sat in front of the indefatigable narrator and pinched his ears so as not to fall asleep and thereby offend the guest. He prayed to Allah for a quick death and did not know how to get rid of the ruthless king of storytellers.
And so, when the merchant was already close to death, his faithful wife Saltan-Bibi looked in the window. The poor woman had no doubt that the merchant had long since choked from the terrible downpour of stories, and came to bury her husband's lifeless body. But the merchant was still breathing. Seeing his wife, he perked up and, gathering the last of his strength, groaned:
Run quickly to the caravan-bashi and redeem my soul from death!
When the gray-haired caravan-bashi entered the merchant's house, Seyfutdin told the eight hundred and first tale! The unfortunate owner hugged the old man's knees and yelled:
My father, because you brought Seyfutdin to me, I gave you a tray with gifts, but because you take him away, I am ready to give you everything that I have - this house, and the garden, and shops, and all your riches!
He saw a lot of miracles of a gray-haired caravan-bashi in his lifetime, he was not surprised at the merchant's request.
Why does the merchant invite Seyfutdin to his place?
Who comes to hear the guest?
Who saves the merchant?
What are the consequences of Seyfutdin's visit to the merchant? - and similar questions.
What conclusions can be drawn about the hero, knowing about his nickname Eloquent?
Is it possible to believe that a person is able to continuously talk without being distracted by food and sleep?
Why is the caravan-bashi smiling?
It is known that eloquence delights the ear. Is it possible to die from a beautiful speech? - and similar questions.
If the merchant felt that he was losing his life, why did he still not leave? - and other questions.
WATER OF IMMORTALITY
Uzbek fairy tale
In ancient times, Iskander the Two-horned< …>conquered the whole world. But in one of the campaigns, he was severely wounded, and he felt the approach of death. But he wanted to live forever and reign in the countries he conquered. And he ordered to find him a means to prolong life for centuries. The wisest and most knowledgeable healers advised him to drink living water from a spring located at the end of the world. Rumor claimed that whoever tasted this water would live forever.
The fastest warriors rushed the lord to the treasured source. Iskander scooped up a golden ladle of water from the spring, but before he had time to raise it to his lips, a thin, hunched-over old man appeared before him. “My son,” said the old man, “if you take a sip of water from this spring, you will become immortal.” “But I want it!” Iskander exclaimed. “Don't hurry, my son,” the old man stopped him. “Listen first… Three thousand years ago, I conquered all the kingdoms on earth. The whole world lay at my feet, and no one dared to look up at me. It was then that I decided to become immortal in order to forever rule over peoples and states. And he drank water from this spring. But only a hundred years passed, and the peoples rose up and drove me from the throne. And when I now approach people and tell them my name, they spit in my face.< …>”
The old man has disappeared. And Iskander, in deep thought, took a bottle of magical water, hid it on his chest and ordered the soldiers to carry themselves home.
The hour of death found him on his way. He took out a bottle, but did not dare to drink the water of immortality and splashed it on the ground.
Reproductive questions to the text
In what period of history does the event described take place?
Where is the hero going? What are the motives for his action?
Who is the hero dating?
What are the implications of this meeting?
productive questions. Special
What conclusions can be drawn about the hero, knowing about his nickname Two-horned?
The real glory is preserved in the memory of descendants for centuries. Didn't the old man's conquest of all the kingdoms on earth provide him with such glory?
productive questions. Dividing
If Iskander became famous for having conquered the whole world, then didn’t he thereby gain immortality?
If it is known that healers are the wisest and most knowledgeable, then why do they offer Iskander a simple and uncomplicated solution to the problem?
How can you do independent work in the second lesson? In our practice, in the second lesson, we read the Egyptian tale "The Shipwrecked" ( detailed information for the tale and text, see http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The Tale of the Shipwrecked). After reading, students receive an assignment formulate three productive questions for the fairy tale and write it down on pieces of paper(we indicate the time of 5-6 minutes). Someone works fast, someone slowly, so the teacher has time to check the questions before the last student turns in the work. The purpose of this work is to test the skill, so we do not evaluate the work, except for those where there are no errors, that is, at the request of the student, and in the remaining time (about 15 minutes) we analyze the results of the work. We draw attention to the following points (examples are taken from children's work of the 5th grade in 2008).
1. Lack of logic between parts of the sentence. For example: Couldn't the Serpent have killed him now, since his family also died on this island? Or: Can it be considered true that the Serpent was left alone, because he called his daughter to prayer?
This is the most common mistake. Together with the students, we will reformulate the question so that it “sounds” correctly.
2. Wrong combination of unions and allied words. For example: Knowing that all the companions died, why does it say at the beginning of the text that they all returned unharmed?
We draw the attention of students to the fact that the wrong combination of unions most often entails logical errors. If students do not understand the concepts union and allied word, can be replaced by connecting words.
3. Pile of parts: there are several in one question. For example: What conclusions can be drawn about the island, knowing that the Serpent said that the sailor would not see this island again, it would be covered with water?
In this case, we turn to the models recorded in the last lesson and ask you to find the one that fits the student's question. There is no model. Please note that it is better to leave two parts in the question.
4. Incorrect use of personal pronouns. For example: How did the Serpent know that he would sail for two months? Why is he the only one who survived?
The misuse of personal pronouns is a common speech error that we often encounter in any children's work, so it will not be superfluous to pay attention to it when formulating questions.
1. Substitution of a productive question for a reproductive one. For example: Why did the hero go to the king's mines? Where was the Serpent when his family died?
At the last stage of the lesson, we read correctly composed and at the same time interesting questions, and the students answer them. Here are some examples.
Is it true that the island will disappear?
If it is known that the sailors were strong, brave and able to portend a storm, then why did only one survive?
Why did the Serpent want to be celebrated in Egypt?
What conclusion can be drawn about the character of the Serpent, if it is known that he refused the gifts of man and gave him his own?
Is it possible to determine from the story of a sailor that he learned a lesson from his journey?
Is the meeting of the lone Serpent and the lone sailor an accident, or was it preordained?
After the lessons on modeling questions, as experience shows, students gain confidence and are not afraid to ask in the first place - this is the basis for a lively dialogue in the lesson. Further, in order to reinforce the practice of asking questions and develop this skill, we offer homework assignments in which the student must formulate the question(s).
In conclusion, let us draw your attention to another type of question - a problematic one. In the lessons, we often use concepts such as a problem or a problem, and ask problematic questions. However, it is very difficult to formulate a problematic question on your own, even for an adult - we think about them in advance, preparing for the lesson, such questions are the main ones in our conversations with students. The main features of the problematic issue:
Does not have a unique solution;
is multifaceted, solved in stages;
requires the involvement of knowledge from different topics, sections, areas of knowledge.
It is difficult for a student of the 5th or 6th grade to formulate such a question - first you need to master many skills and abilities, both general and subject. In our practice, we teach children to work with a problematic issue in the 7th grade at the stage when schoolchildren learn to make comments on texts, that is, to attract various knowledge. Together with the students we make the following algorithm.
Algorithm for posing a problem question
Examine the information: highlight the main points of the event, tasks, points of view, theories ...;
highlight the main thing: thoughts, ideas, features, conditions ...;
identify contradictions, inconsistencies, unconvincing arguments ...;
determine the essence of the contradictions;
formulate a problematic question.
In addition, the problematic question itself should contain three required elements:
Indication of the object of study;
indication of the direction of study of the object;
contradiction (hidden or explicit).
Since the volume of lectures is limited, I will give an example of a problematic question on the text “Water of Immortality”, which, by the way, can be returned to in the 7th grade, even if you use it in a lesson in the 5th. This tale has all the conditions for posing a problematic question:
Immortality, the memory of descendants.
The conquest of kingdoms, the world.
True glory and false.
Why does the glory and reverence of the ruler, received in the course of conquests, turn for him with gaining immortality into the contempt of peoples and states?
Let's summarize: what competence qualities can be developed in the future in a senior student if he learns to ask different questions? In addition to learning that this skill stimulates his thought process, he will understand how easy it will be for him to independently work on a problematic report, on research, participate in discussions and not be afraid of an appeal.
Review questions
1. What levels of thinking does B. Bloom distinguish?
2. How can you combine questions that require you to remember information and questions that encourage you to think?
3. How is a productive question different from a reproductive question?
4. What students' mistakes should be paid attention to when they formulate questions?
5. What is the complexity of the problematic issue?
6. Why should the formulation of a problematic question be taught no earlier than the 7th grade?
7. What competence qualities does the ability to formulate questions help develop?
Literature
Vasiliev S.A. Synthesis of meaning in the creation and understanding of the text. Kyiv, 1988.
Granik G.G., Bondarenko S.M., Kontsevaya L.A. When the book teaches M., 1991.
Granik G.G., Bondarenko S.M., Kontsevaya L.A., Shapoval S.A.. Learning to understand a literary text: Task book-workshop: 8–11 cells. Moscow: Astrel Publishing House LLC; OOO AST Publishing House, 2001.
Ilyin E.N. path to the student. M., 1988.
Ilya Isakovich Aminov, candidate of psychological sciences, consultant psychologist
Business information does not always come to us in the volume we would like. During business communication often you have to obtain the necessary information from your partners, asking them about all the essential aspects of the case. Asking means acquiring information and expressing an assessment of the information received.
To ask means to show interest in a partner and a willingness to devote time to him. However, with your inept, annoying, inappropriate questions, you can achieve the opposite effect: instead of information, the partner will “close”, become wary, or even completely refuse to cooperate. That is why it is so important to be able to ask (put, formulate) questions correctly.
The German philosopher I. Kant wrote:
“The ability to raise reasonable questions is already an important and necessary sign of intelligence or insight. If the question itself is meaningless and requires useless answers, then, in addition to shame for the questioner, it sometimes also has the disadvantage that it prompts the imprudent listener to absurd answers and creates a funny spectacle: one (according to the expression of the ancients) milks a goat, while the other holds under him a sieve.
A well-posed question is one that a participant in a business conversation wants to answer, can answer or over which he wants to think, and he will be interested in cooperation.
A variety of goals can be achieved by one or another statement of the question (its formulation):
- to interest the interlocutor and give him the opportunity to speak, so that he himself provides the information you need;
- activate the partner and move from your own monologue to a dialogue with him, which is more effective in business communication;
- direct the process of transferring information in a direction corresponding to your plans and interests;
- seize and hold the initiative in communication.
It takes courage to ask. After all, asking questions to another means revealing one's own position, making one's system of values transparent to another.
It has been noticed that it is better to start a business conversation with a series of pre-prepared questions. By the very fact of the question, you show that you want to participate in communication, ensure its further flow and deepening. This convinces the interlocutor that you are showing interest in him and the desire to establish a positive relationship. It's also better to ask questions than to monologue to keep the conversation going. The art of persuasion is to lead the interlocutor to the desired conclusion, and not to impose this conclusion by the force of logic, voice or authority.
The posing of questions requires not only their careful preparation, but also the development of their system, thinking over the wording. This is a key link for obtaining information. It is here that the foundation is laid for the activation of business communication, its creative orientation. However, it should be remembered that most people are reluctant to answer direct questions for many reasons (fear of conveying incorrect information, insufficient knowledge of the subject, business restrictions, restraint, difficulties in presentation, etc.). Therefore, you first need to interest the interlocutor, explain to him that answering your questions is in his interests.
As a rule, the purpose of the dialogue, which is always built according to the "question - answer" scheme, is to analyze a problem. For a comprehensive, systematic coverage of the situation, an appropriate set of questions is required.
There are several types of questions that are usually used in business communication: in negotiations, meetings, business meetings.
closed question- this is a question that can be answered unequivocally ("yes", "no", give the exact date, name or number, etc.) For example: "Do you live in Moscow?" - "Not". "Do you drive?" - "Yes". What university did you graduate from and when? - "Moscow State University, in 1992".
Closed-ended questions should be precisely worded, suggesting short answers. Usually they either begin with the pronoun "You" or contain it in an interrogative construction. For example, "You claim that ...", "Would you mind if ...", "Will you deny that ...".
They are inevitable in any business conversation, but their predominance leads to the creation of a tense atmosphere, as it sharply narrows the “wiggle room” for a partner who may get the impression that he is being interrogated.
Usually they are set in order not so much to obtain information, but to obtain consent or confirmation from the partner earlier. agreement reached: "Could we meet tomorrow?" - "Of course"; Will the shipment arrive on Thursday? - "No, on Saturday."
Open question- this is a question that is difficult to answer briefly, it requires some kind of explanation, mental work. Such questions begin with the words “why”, “what for”, “how”, “what are your suggestions”, “what will be your decision about”, etc., and this implies a detailed answer in a free form. Open-ended questions are asked in order to obtain additional information or find out the real motives and position of the interlocutor, they give him the opportunity to maneuver and make a more extensive statement.
The main characteristics of this group of questions are as follows:
- the partner is in an active state, as he must think over his answers and statements;
- the partner has the opportunity, at its own discretion, to choose what data, information and arguments to provide to us;
- addressing the interlocutor with an open question contributes to the elimination of barriers, brings him out of a state of isolation and restraint;
- the partner (and most importantly) becomes a valid source of information, ideas and proposals for the further development of cooperation.
However, open questions give the interlocutor the opportunity to avoid a specific answer, provide only information that is beneficial to him, and even divert the conversation to the side. Therefore, in the course of a business conversation, it is recommended to ask leading, basic, secondary and other types of questions.
Suggestive questions- questions formulated in such a way as to prompt the interlocutor with the expected answer from him.
Main questions- open or closed questions that are planned in advance.
Secondary or follow-up questions- planned or spontaneous, which are set to clarify the answers to the main questions.
Alternative question is something in between: it is given in the form open question, but at the same time several pre-prepared answers are offered. For example: “How did you decide to become a lawyer: did you consciously choose this specialty, follow in the footsteps of your parents, did you decide to act with a friend, or don’t you know why?”; “When do you think it would be better for us to hold the next meeting: already this week or will we postpone it to the next one?”
In order to get the interlocutor to talk, you can try to use alternative questions, but it is important that none of the alternatives offend him. In order to somehow organize a conversation with an overly talkative interlocutor, it is better to use closed questions.
It is recommended to soften questions that may offend the interlocutor and formulate them in the form of an assumption. For example, instead of the question “Are you afraid of not coping?” the wording is recommended: “Maybe some circumstances prevent you from completing this work on time?”.
You should not ask a question if you already know the answer to it. It is not recommended to start the question with the words: "Why don't you ...?" or "How could you...?" A truly competent question is a request for information, not a hidden accusation. If you are unhappy with your partner's decision or actions, try to tactfully but firmly tell him about it in the form of a statement, but not in the form of a question.
Rhetorical questions do not require a direct answer and are set in order to evoke one or another reaction from partners: to focus their attention, enlist support from the participants in a business meeting, point out unresolved problems. For example: “Can we consider what happened as a normal phenomenon?”; “Are we of the same opinion on this issue?”; When will people finally learn to understand each other?
It is important to formulate rhetorical questions in such a way that they sound short, relevant and understandable to each of those present. The silence received in response to them will mean the approval of our point of view. But at the same time, one should be very careful not to slide into ordinary demagoguery and not get into an uncomfortable or even ridiculous position.
Tipping questions keep the conversation in a strictly established framework or raise a whole range of new problems. In addition, they usually allow you to identify vulnerabilities in the partner's position. Here are examples: “How do you imagine the prospects for the development of your department?”; "What do you think: is it necessary to radically change the management system in large organizations?".
Similar questions are asked in cases where you want to switch to another problem or when you feel your partner's resistance. Such questions are fraught with danger, as they can upset the balance between the parties. The interlocutor may not be able to cope with the answer, or, conversely, his answer will be so unexpected and strong that it will weaken the position and break the plans of the questioner.
Questions for Consideration force the interlocutor to carefully analyze and comment on what was said. For example: “Did I manage to convince you of the need to revise the terms of the contract, or do you think that we will cope with the situation?”; “What action can you take?”; "Did I understand your suggestion that...?"; "Do you think that...?"
The purpose of these questions is to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding, to sum up the intermediate and final results of a business conversation.
When answering a question like this:
- the interlocutor should consider the expressed opinion;
- a favorable atmosphere is created for argumentation based on a general approach to the problem;
- the interlocutor is given the opportunity to amend the stated position.
mirror question consists in repeating with an interrogative intonation part of the statement uttered by the interlocutor in order to make him see his statement from the other side. This allows (without contradicting the interlocutor and without refuting his statements) to optimize the conversation, to introduce new elements into it that give the dialogue a genuine meaning and openness. This technique produces much better results than the cycle of “why?” questions, which usually cause defensive reactions, excuses, searches for imaginary reasons, a dull alternation of accusations and self-justifications and, as a result, lead to conflict.
test questions help to manage the partner's attention, allow you to return to previous stages of work, and also check the understanding achieved.
It should be noted that control questions like “who, what?” are fact-oriented, and the questions “how, why?” more focused on the person, his behavior, inner world.
To the above types of questions, one should add the so-called trap questions, which can be set by the opponent to the initiator of communication. The latter should be able not only to ask questions correctly, but also to answer them, while taking into account the goals of the opponent. In the process of communication, you should be prepared for the following types of trap questions.
Questions aimed at testing competence. The purpose of such questions is to assess the knowledge and experience of the initiator of communication. As a rule, the author of such a question already knows the answer, but wants to check how the host will cope with it. If you have accurately recognized this type of question, you can politely ask: “Why are you asking a question to which you yourself know the answer?”.
Questions to demonstrate your knowledge. The purpose of such questions is to show off one's own competence and erudition in front of other participants in the conversation. This is one of the forms of self-affirmation, an attempt to earn the respect of a partner with a “smart” question. If the question is really related to a business meeting, then you can ask its author to answer it himself. Asking a question, your interlocutor is unlikely to expect such a request. After he finishes his answer, you can complete it.
Confusing Questions have the goal of transferring the attention of the initiator of communication to the area of interest of the questioner, which lies away from the main direction of work. These questions may be asked intentionally or unintentionally out of a desire to solve some of their own problems. The initiator of communication should not succumb to the temptation and go away from the essence of the issue. It is better to propose that the matter be considered at another time.
provocative questions most often they try to catch the interlocutor on the contradiction between what he says now and what he said earlier.
If it so happens that you cannot justify such a contradiction, then it is better not to try to justify yourself. By defending yourself, you convince other participants in a business meeting of the truth of a provocative remark. But even if you are right, and the inconsistency of your words has objective reasons (you can prove it), then you still should not use the opportunity to deal with the provocateur. Getting involved in a "showdown" is not the best The best way win the prestige of those present. In the best case, after your victory, the opponent will drop out of work, in the worst case, he will look for an opportunity to take revenge later. Demonstrate that you are taller, invulnerable to such "pricks" - and earn the respect of other participants in the business meeting.
Regardless of the type and nature of the questions, one should strictly adhere to the basic principle - to answer the question only if its essence is completely clear.
Ask questions to get the information you need. Questions can be used to:
Direct the process of transferring information in a direction that meets your plans and wishes;
To intercept and keep the initiative in a conversation;
Activate the interlocutor in order to move from a monologue to a much more effective dialogue in terms of information transfer;
The interlocutor to prove himself, to show what he knows, and to provide the information you need yourself.
In no case should we forget that most people, for many reasons reluctant to answer direct questions (fear of conveying incorrect information, insufficient knowledge of the subject, business restrictions, restraint, difficulties in presentation, etc.). That's why first you need to interest the interlocutor , i.e. explain to him why it is in his interest to answer our questions. Also, it doesn't hurt to explain why we are interested in one or another fact and how are we going to use information received from him.
When you ask someone a question, the person has no choice whether to answer or not to answer. Your interlocutor may not say the answer out loud, but he will definitely answer for this question.
Let's demonstrate this with a simple example. Ask yourself: "Can you drive a car?" Your brain will no doubt answer yes or no. Imagine that we are sitting and talking. I ask you: "What color are your eyes?" You either find the exact answer in your memory, or you say, "I don't know."
However, to get exactly the answer you need, you need to learn how to formulate questions correctly. Imagine that you are asking a friend a question that sounds something like this: "Tell me something interesting about yourself." It is very difficult to answer such a question, because with such a formulation, a person must first turn to the entire array of his memories and find something suitable there. However, with the right question, the interlocutor will find the answer simply and quickly.
Let's try to draw an analogy between the human brain and a computer. Imagine that you are sitting in front of a computer screen while running a Windows program. Icons appear on the display - small images of the main programs that you use. Let one of the icons represent the "sport" file. We open it by double-clicking on the corresponding icon. Most likely, another row of icons will appear on the screen; in our example, these will be symbols of various sports: basketball, football, hockey. If we want to get acquainted with information about football, we must double-click on the football icon again and open a file that stores, for example, a competition calendar.
The same is true for the human brain.
The question is equivalent to double-clicking the mouse to open a specific file. If we have not previously opened the desired file, the interlocutor will have difficulty finding information and, perhaps, will not answer the way we need, but most likely, the way it is easier for him.
So, if we want to know something about a person who plays football, we must proceed in the following way.
QUESTION 1."Do you play sports?" - "Yes".
The "Sports" directory opens.
QUESTION 2."What sports do you do?" - Basketball, football, swimming.
Now we know which subdirectories we can access.
QUESTION 3. "Do you like football?" - "Yes".
The Football file opens.
QUESTION 4."Have you ever competed?" "Yes."
The Football Competitions document opens.
QUESTION 5.“What do you remember most about football competitions?”
