Foundations of Literacy and Expression · 1st Year

Active learning ideas

Asking Questions to Learn

Active learning works well for this topic because asking questions requires students to engage with texts in an intentional way. When students generate their own inquiries, they move from passive readers to active meaning-makers, building stamina for more complex texts later in their learning journey.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Oral Language
• NCCA: Primary - Reading

• 15–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall

Before starting a new topic, students think of one thing they 'wonder' about. They share it with a partner to refine the wording, then write it on a post-it to add to a classroom 'Wonder Wall' that stays up throughout the unit.

What questions could you ask to find out more about a new topic?

Facilitation Tip

During the Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall, model how to turn a statement into a question by adding a question word and adjusting word order.

What to look for

Provide students with a short, unfamiliar informational text (e.g., about a specific animal). Ask them to write down two questions they have *before* reading the text and one question they still have *after* reading. Collect these to check for question formulation.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 30 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Question Detectives

Give groups a mysterious object or a strange photo. They must work together to generate five 'Who, What, Where, When, Why' questions about it, then swap their list with another group to see if they can find the answers.

How can asking questions help you learn more?

Facilitation Tip

In Collaborative Investigation: Question Detectives, provide sentence starters like 'I wonder why...' or 'How does...' to scaffold the process for reluctant questioners.

What to look for

After reading a short text, ask students: 'What was one thing you learned today that you didn't know before? What question do you have now that you didn't have before reading?' Facilitate a brief class discussion to gauge their understanding of how reading generates new questions.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Simulation Game
• 20 min · Whole Class

Simulation Game: The Interviewer

One student plays the 'expert' on a topic the class just studied. Other students must practice asking clear, open-ended questions to learn more, while the teacher helps them rephrase 'yes/no' questions into deeper inquiries.

Can you find the answer to one of your questions in a book or from a teacher?

Facilitation Tip

During Simulation: The Interviewer, demonstrate how to follow up on vague answers with 'Tell me more about...' to push for deeper inquiry.

What to look for

During a reading activity, pause and ask students to turn to a partner and share one question they have about the current paragraph. Listen to their questions to assess their active engagement and comprehension.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model curiosity by asking aloud, 'I’m wondering why the author chose this word instead of another one.' Avoid rushing to answer students’ questions yourself; instead, redirect them to the text or peers. Research shows that students who practice asking questions in low-stakes settings develop stronger comprehension habits over time.

Successful learning looks like students moving from broad wonderings to focused, text-dependent questions. They should be able to articulate why their questions matter and connect them to what they are reading or investigating.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall, watch for students who treat questions like statements.

  Remind them to hold up the Question Mark Wand only when their sentence ends with a rising tone and begins with a clear question word.

• During Collaborative Investigation: Question Detectives, watch for students who believe there is only one 'right' question to ask.

  Encourage 'wild and wacky' questions during the brainstorming phase and have peers validate unusual ideas to show that all curiosity has value.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game