November 2023 Protocol of the Month: Funnel Questioning

The art of questioning is present in this protocol.  Comment below and let us know if you do something similar in your class. 

FUNNEL QUESTIONING TECHNIQUE (Questioning, Discussion, Feedback)

Description: Originally used in business, the Funnel Questioning Technique provides teachers with structure by improving the way they ask questions, figuratively resembling a funnel, broad to narrow. It mandates that different types of questions are asked in a particular order. Not only does the technique address academic concerns but can be used as a way to show genuine concern for students. Adapted heavily from Revolution Learning's The Questioning Funnel – Effective Questioning. 

​Application: Apply the technique when evaluating students’ levels of understanding, seeking additional information, or enhancing relationships within the classroom. 

​Process: Have a topic, lesson, or unit in mind when creating funnel questions. Review the general technique’s order: “...start with broad open questions, probe to gather more specifics, and then use a closed question to clarify.”  Begin with open questions, examples include Who? What? When? Where? Why? Tell, Explain, and Describe.  After a variety of student responses, initiate probing questions, also open-ended, that ask for more specific information.  Make sure the “next” probing question is always based on the “last ''answer given, digging deeper each question/answer set. After probing, show students understanding by asking closed (yes/no) questions that confirm their answers. Examples of closed questions are Did? Can? Will? Are? If? Were? Is? etc. Provide ways such as summarization or short-answer response for students to encapsulate what they have learned through the process. 

Resources and for more information: 
The Questioning Funnel - Effective Questioning - Revolution Learning and Development Ltd