CMTP: Changes in Mathematics Teaching Project

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What sort of questions were asked and answered quickly or slowly?

One very distinctive difference between teaching in the first year and the second year was the nature of questions asked to the whole class. In the first year many teachers used only short quick questions in whole class episodes, usually about calculations, facts, what to do, prompts to action. A few teachers used no questions at all but only have instructions. A few used only questions that required long thought. Some used a mixture. In the second year teachers nearly all were using a more conversational style in which questions arose from students' responses and the range of 'slow' questions had grown. A conversational style with calling out was used by most teachers, and it slowed down as questions became harder and more reflective. (See questions and prompts list.) There were still some teachers who used no whole class questions at all except for tiny arithmetical ones.

Slow questions were those which:

• Gave students something to think about Required complex answers so students had time to prepare, e.g. by talking to a neighbour
• Asked students for examples
• Expected connections to be made
• Pushed to go beyond a first answers to something harder or consequential
• Expected students had to work out what to do
• Expected students were asked to think of some questions
• Asked for thinking strategies and explanations