The Great Teaching Questioning Challenge is built around a simple principle: meaningful improvement in classroom practice happens when teachers focus deliberately on one area, engage with the evidence, implement changes with intention, and reflect on impact over time.

Across six weeks, participating teachers will use the Great Teaching Toolkit learning platform to diagnose their current questioning practice, explore research-informed strategies, implement and refine a chosen technique, and evaluate its impact on student thinking and participation.

Essential:

• Complete the self-reflection survey focused on Element 4.3 (Questioning), considering how your questioning currently elicit student thinking and participation
• Select a specific professional learning goal related to questioning that will guide your work over the next six weeks

Desirable:

• Discuss your reflections with a colleague to help clarify strengths and priorities
• Gather student or peer feedback to support your self-reflection

Essential:

• Choose and explore one evidence-based resource related to Element 4.3, focusing on what effective questioning looks like and why it supports learning

Desirable:

• Explore additional resources to deepen your understanding
• Discuss reflections with a colleague to test and refine your thinking

Essential:

• Select one questioning technique that fits your teaching context, aligns with your professional learning goal, and can be used regularly in your lessons

Desirable:

• Explore alternative techniques before making a final choice
• Talk your choice through with a colleague to consider fit, feasibility, and impact

Essential:

• Use your chosen questioning technique deliberately in lessons to elicit student thinking and participation
• Complete a reflection focusing on what you noticed about student responses and your own questioning decisions

Desirable:

• Discuss reflections with colleagues to help identify patterns and next steps, or ask a colleague to give feedback on your practice by sharing a survey link with them.

Essential:

• Continue using your questioning technique, making one or two small, intentional refinements
• Complete a reflection focusing on how you respond to evidence of student understanding or misconception

Desirable:

• Discuss reflections with colleagues to support refinement or ask a colleague to give feedback on your practice by sharing a survey link with them.

Essential:

• Complete the final self-reflection survey, considering how your questioning practice has changed since Week One and the impact on student thinking and participation

Desirable:

• Discuss learning with colleagues and consider how to sustain improvements
• Share insights from the challenge with others