What is one purpose of questioning during instruction?

Questioning during instruction serves multiple educational purposes, with one of the most significant being to emphasize teaching points and stimulate critical thinking among students. This technique encourages learners to engage actively with the material, fostering deeper understanding and retention. By posing questions, instructors can direct students' attention to key concepts and facilitate discussions that encourage them to think critically and analytically.

When students are prompted with questions, they are often required to reflect on their knowledge, make connections between ideas, and articulate their thoughts, all of which enhance the learning experience. This interaction not only reinforces the material being taught but also cultivates an environment where students feel comfortable expressing their ideas and inquiries, contributing to a more dynamic and participatory classroom atmosphere.

While creating classroom authority, evaluating lesson effectiveness, and enabling memorization are valuable aspects of the instructional process, they do not fundamentally capture the intrinsic value of questioning in promoting active engagement and critical thought, which is a core purpose of this teaching strategy.