Knowledge in Pupils Mind - Essay Example

Running Head: Pupils’ Learning Pupils’ Learning [Institute’s Pupils’ Learning Pupil learning is, basically, a demonstration of the constant changes in the behavioral and thinking patterns of a pupil when s/he takes part in the engaging activities intended for educational and learning purposes (Kyriacou, pp.22, 1997). Bloom et al suggest that cognition is one of the domains involved in learning. However, cognition, itself, is categorized into knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Kyriacou, pp.22, 1997). From among these divisions, the activity of questioning propels the minds to go through a thinking process and bring about a response to the asked query. This approach keeps the pupils’ minds open to everything and makes them think and evaluate the knowledge on a wide canvas. Thus, according to Bloom, evaluation or questioning is one of the important aspects of learning as it puts them to working. It is important for the teachers to inquire if the pupils are following their instructions and understanding the subject being taught (Kyriacou, pp.43, 1997). For that matter, assessment through questions plays a major role in knowing the progress of pupils. It is essential to note that questions also have divisions; certain questions are only for the sake of assessing the pupils’ memory, however, questions that require them to ‘think’ and not just to ‘recall’ are the critical ones to incorporate in a teaching process. Moreover, questioning leads to discovery learning or purposeful learning rather than a one-way communication pattern that involves teachers telling the pupils everything and making them rote learners. This is more like thrusting the knowledge in pupil’s mind, nevertheless, it is important to realize that forcefully put knowledge never tends to retain for a longer period and thus, proves to be useless in the end as compared to a comprehension that comes after self-analysis and cognition. As a matter of fact, in contributing towards pupils’ learning through, it is essential that the proportion of teachers’ talk must be higher than any other aspects (Pollard & Collins, pp.297, 2005). If a teacher talks much, pupils would automatically feel responsible in contributing to the whole process to have their share and would know that even if they miss out any important point in the response, their teachers would correct or complete them. Lower grades pupils are quite very much like this; they look forward to the co-operation of their teachers in every regards. It is often suggested that one of the effective ways to make pupils studying in lower classes learn novel concepts is to modify their already acquired knowledge regarding something that might be associated with the new knowledge. A child studying in lower grades is very much haunted by studying and feels it complicated to learn things just by being told. Thus, it is necessary to devise such proper learning designs for young pupils to motivate them to the learning process. When a pupil is asked simple questions like what they already know about certain things or objects or what they observe in their daily lives, he forms a perception that whatever new knowledge he gains would be associated with his own self in a way. Moreover, the part of modifying his knowledge by asking him things that he previously knows would make him believe that he knows a part of it already, while addition and adaptation do not become a tough task. Experts cite that the most important way to make someone learn new things is to ascertain what the person already knows (Brown & Wragg, pp.4-5, 1993). This would ease his cognition and the enthusiasm in learning more while minimising the barriers in learning. Considering enthusiasm, effective questioning triggers the mental efforts that pupils make. When they are exposed to continuous assessment and queries, their mental working gets elevated and thus the knowledge-grasping power come to an optimum level when there is an inner urge to respond to a particular question. Questions that trigger and prompt the pupils generate an inner urge to learn more and respond more. When the same procedure is repeated in every class, they are acquainted with the questioning culture and try getting answers before they face the queries. While questioning, something that might come as barrier to pupils’ learning would be the teachers’ pre-assumed notions about the pupil or the characteristic of being judgmental (Pollard & Collins, pp.297, 2005). Teacher should make their students at ease while questioning and should demonstrate an unbiased attitude welcoming the responses of the pupils irrespective of it being correct or incorrect. This way, pupils would always feel encouraged to answer and use their cognition. Even if a child comes up with an incorrect answer, the questions should follow an elaboration and re-questioning. This is an effective way to pose questions and make sure that the pupils learn and take back an increased cognition after the day ends. Effective questioning requires certain strategies to incorporate in the structure and focus of the question. It is, indeed, a human psychology that whatever is intriguing to an individual grabs the ultimate concentration. Humans are curious beings and this specific characteristic is very much inculcated in a kid’s psychology. Kids below ten years of age are keen to know things that interest them, something that does not seem to be self-solving, takes their attention. Thus, questions that are designed to puzzle them prove to be more effective and are a way to succeed in educating them about new things (Kyriacou, pp.25-26, 1997). In this way, they feel authoritative to find answers to their puzzles and amazements and once they do it themselves, the answers are likely to retain in their memories widening their horizons. Technically, this is called intrinsic motivation, when pupils feel satisfied once they their answers and look forward to solve more such problems on their own. This is an effective way of learning their psychology and psychological needs. In addition to the above-mentioned ways of effective questioning, we also need to distinguish between the significance of two separate types of questions vis-à-vis open-ended questions and close ended questions. The latter require direct answers that are either correct or completely wrong. Such questions demonstrate what the pupils know, what they have in mind, and even what have they memorized. As a matter of fact, it is the best time for pupils studying in grade two or so, to start polishing their minds thinking about applications and analysis of things rather than merely memorizing. Neurosciences have demonstrated that these are the finest moments of an individual’s life when critical abilities of a person tend to develop the most. Thus, the former type of questioning that requires broaden ways of responding while thinking on a larger perspective and also having numerous possible answers to it prove to be qualitative learning (Kyriacou, pp.43, 1997). These open-ended questions emphasise upon ‘what do you think’ and ‘what do you suggest’ and making the pupils authoritative about their thoughts and ideas. The limitations out in thinking through these questions are to the minimum extent and in a way demand their knowledge to be used in applications and implications (Pollard & Collins, pp.297, 2005). The diverse responses of these flexible questions also make the teachers know about the different levels of cognition of different pupils and thus design the subsequent teaching pedagogy appropriate to that. In such an evolving teaching pattern, pupils learn to a great extent. Likewise, such questions tend to lead to a discussion that might involve other pupils and engage in a dialogue process between pupils or pupils and teachers. Thus, it gives room to further misconception being cleared, as the discussion would involve multiple questioning from both the sides (Cowley, pp.14-15, 2004). Yet, a teacher should be prepared with multiple questions from the very start to enhance the effectiveness of such an environment. Moreover, teachers should know the actual purpose of questioning. If teachers want to hear the pupils’ views and opinions regarding something, the questions should be structured in a way that the answers contain ideas and opinions and not merely some facts. The tailoring of questions, thus, according to the purpose and intentions is very necessary to get the required answers (Pollard & Collins, pp.299, 2005). Since, certain subjects are thought-provoking demanding pupils to think on it rather than making them memorized. Thus, the structure of questions should justify the subjects to ensure maximum learning. Likewise, the sequencing of questions is the second most important thing to be focused that might begin with simple questions that are connected to the other and also interest them but leading to ones that are more complicated. Pupils, especially, belonging to this age feel scared of being targeted and questioned. They feel that the reason of questioning them is that the teachers might have this perception that they do not know about the subject and are not following the class properly. They fear and thus, they hesitate in responding even if they already had the answers. This leads to a gradual development of a fear-factor inside them that might spoil their psychology. Therefore, an effective way of questioning would be to engage them and starting with informal questions in a way that they do not realize being targeted or questioned and still keep answering and learning. This engagement might take a form of interaction or dialogue (Kyriacou, pp.44, 1997) between the pupils and the teachers in which teachers too comply to respond with pupils’ queries to build a proper learning environment. While questioning primary level pupils, it is important to bear in mind that they need to organize their thoughts and thus, they need time to do that. Thus, questions that actually intend to make the pupils learn must follow a brief pause in which the questions must not be directed to any specific student so that every individual tend to seek an answer to that if targeted. Subsequently, any pupil might be allowed to speak when everyone seems to be ready with his or her answers. This calls for vigilance on part of the teachers. While giving them time to think and structure their thoughts in minds lead to appropriate answers (Pollard, pp.267-268, 2002). Consequently, giving a chance to other pupils to speak for the same question would make them feel that their effort to think and organize their thoughts paid off. Furthermore, such a strategy also gives way to increased number of participation while improving the quality of responses (Pollard, pp.268-269, 2002). In this manner, pupils do not merely learn from their teachers but also from their peers and friends. The art of questioning, primarily, revolves around two very crucial aspects vis-à-vis solving problems and prompting creativity (Cowley, pp.14, 2004). Questions allow the respondents to seek a solution to something according to their respective cognition while giving them a free hand towards working out their creativity and coming up with an innovation of their own. Thus, structuring and designing of questions lead to an effective way in making room for a learning atmosphere for the pupils to enhance their cognition. The type of questions and way of posing them are the crucial features that have great impact upon the thinking patterns of students of lower levels so that when they grow up, their comprehension and cognition grow in the same manner. References Brown, G. & Wragg, E. C. 1993. Questioning. Routledge. Cowley, S. 2004. Getting the Buggers to Think. Continuum. Kyriacou, C. 1997. Effective Teaching in Schools: Theory and Practice. Stanley Thornes. Pollard, A. 2002. Readings for Reflective Teaching. Continuum. Pollard, A. & Collins, J. 2005. Reflective Teaching: Evidence-Informed Professional Practice. Continuum. Read More