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Subject Pedagogy in Physical Education
“Is the use of questioning during the starter and plenary of year
7 PE lessons an effective formative assessment technique?”

7th January 2013

Word Count: 3748

Sue Walker

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Is the use of questioning during the starter and plenary of year 7 PE
lessons an effective formative assessment technique?

Introduction
Teachers use a lot of questions, indeed “every day teachers ask dozens, even
hundreds of questions, thousands in a single year, over a million during a
professional lifetime
...
I
am currently placed at St
...
During my time on placement at St
...
Furthermore, the PE department in my
current placement strongly support the use of questioning during the starters and
plenaries of PE lessons, and during the initial stages of my teaching I found it difficult
to implement this effectively in my lessons
...
The first part of the essay will provide an
introduction and review of questioning, looking at different views and opinions
between writers
...
Finally, this essay will identify how I aim to improve on my
implementation of questioning while undertaking school placements and provide
targets for my future practice
...
Is formative assessment the best type of assessment to use when
questioning pupils?
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Assessment is recognised as an essential component of teaching and learning within
Physical Education (OfSTED, 2003)
...
Capel et al, (2005) suggests that formative assessment is
that which can aid further progress in pupils by identifying good and poor
performance and targeting particular learning needs
...
The principal method traditionally being used in teaching is mainly summative
in nature (Brooks, 2007)
...
However, within contemporary educational practice the type of
assessment perceived to have a greater benefit on pupil learning, understanding and
attainment is formative (Newton and Bowler, 2010)
...

Firstly, Brooks (2007) suggests that because summative assessment may occur
quite some time after the actual learning has taken place, as a result of this, relevant
information cannot be provided to the learner or the teacher, therefore it is less likely
for adaptations in the pedagogy to occur
...

Summative assessment is viewed as a more formal concept involved in the
assessment of learning (Casbon and Spackman, 2005)
...
s (1998) however are under the impression that
the difference is not influenced by when assessment occurs or the methods of
assessment that are being used, but instead it is to do with the purpose of the
assessment being used
...
Brooks (2007) suggests that formative assessment and the feedback
gained from this process should lead to a greater benefit on pupils learning
...

Grout and Long (2009) suggest that questioning can have several different
purposes
...
Torrance and Pryor (2001)
looks at questioning from an assessment context and find that if a pupil understands
something, this can be determined by closed questioning, also known as convergent
assessment
...
Furthermore, learners
will have the opportunity to formulate a range of correct answers and to be more
explanative in their answers through the use of open questions (Elliot, 2010)
...
It has
also been found that sometimes, correct answers given to questions, are not
necessarily accompanied by pupil understanding
...
This sort of misunderstanding can help
to evaluate the effectiveness of the questions being used, and the lessons being
taught (Grout and Long, 2009)
...
OfSTED (2003) agree with this statement when they noted the practical
responses of pupils could be strengthened through the use of well focused
questioning of pupils knowledge, during a lesson
...
However, giving a reason for asking a question will depend on the
types of questions being asked
...
These are cognitive, which is about pupils

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knowledge and understanding, affective which is to with their emotions and social
and procedural questions, which are questions used to make in short and long term
goals
...
Carin and Sund (1971) suggest that goals of modern
education are to develop creative thinking, encourage critical analysis and involve
learners actively in teaching for personal development
...
He does this by placing them into three learning
categories, which are, cognitive, affective and psychomotor learning
...

They show that the following research has displayed this to be true
...

Wragg and Brown (2001) suggest some other reasons that teachers may choose to
ask questions
...
Newton and Bowler (2010) agree that by carrying out
effective questioning, teachers are able to accurately assess the knowledge and
understanding of the pupils concerning a specific topic
...
Black et al (2003) and Newton and Bowler (2010), recommend that the
teacher give every pupil the chance to think about the question and then randomly
select a student to answer
...

Wragg and Brown (2001) suggest that when questioning is effective in a lesson,
learners are more likely to develop more understanding of an idea; this is because
they have tried to explain it themselves
...
Furthermore, using this existing knowledge they will be able to make
links with the ideas from the lesson
...

The researches so far would show that questioning is a good formative assessment
technique, but does certain types of questioning lend itself to physical education
lessons more than others?
When looking at physical education as a subject, Wragg and Brown (2001), go some
way in explaining the reasons why a PE teacher might ask questions
...
Wragg (1993) found that
there is no strong research evidence that one form of questioning is better than
another, nevertheless the type of question being used to increase learning in pupils,
will depend on the size of the group being asked the question
...

Wilson and Cameron (1996) look at physical education lessons and see the ability to
create a settled environment, where all the learners are on task, is a vital part of
learning
...

One way of keeping pupils on task in situations like this is by enabling them to ask
the teacher and each other questions
...
Demonstrations also allow the teacher to
question the pupils about what they notice or what they feel they need to do
...
It
also allows the teacher to check the learner’s progress at different phases of the
lesson and offer feedback (OfSTED, 2003)
...
When putting this sort of theory regarding questioning into
practice, Elliot (2010) suggests that the teacher needs to concentrate on all aspects
of communication, including body language
...
This allows the teacher to assess
knowledge, make starting points and focus pupils learning, or to discover points to
work on for the next lesson
...
Dillion (1981) backs up this point as he suggests
excessive questioning makes pupil’s dependent and passive
...


Evaluation of my own experience
After analysing the literature on questioning, and how it links to starters and
plenaries in physical education, it is clear to see that there is value in the use of
questioning, if done correctly
...
My
experience, as a PGCE student on placement, has allowed me to gain valuable
experience in a school
...
Although I have
seen experienced practitioners in action, I still fell for some of the common pitfalls in
questioning that a lot of trainee PE teachers fall for
...
These were two common mistakes I
made early on in my teaching during the starters and plenaries of my lessons,
however, Wragg and Brown (2001) suggest a tactic that could be used to help with
this is, structuring
...
An example of this was during one of my
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starters in a year 7 class, I was asking questions to the pupils and because there
was no structure in place for them to recall previous knowledge they didn't know the
answer and I just answered for them
...

In some of my year 7 classes I can remember asking pupils questions during a
starter
...
Due to this, when I
asked them questions I presumed they didn't have any prior knowledge and either
answered the question quickly for them, or moved on, not giving them enough time
to answer it themselves
...

Tobin (1987) found that pausing briefly after a question, and increasing the wait time,
helps to improve the quality and length of the pupil’s answers
...
This is also supported by Black et al (2003), who
recommend that teachers should give every pupil the chance to think about a
question, this allows for a greater class engagement
...

Wragg and Brown (2001) suggest that improving how I direct and distribute
questions to the class will mean more learning will take place
...
However, asking
questions to the whole class is not a good method either as this can lead to a lack of
control in the class (Wragg and Brown, 2001)
...
This evidence is supported work
carried out by Blosser (1991)
...
I didn't dwell on the situation at the
time, however, afterwards my mentor mentioned it too me and I began to look into
the ways in which I pitch questions to the pupils (Wragg and Brown, 2001)
...
I
found that phasing questions during my plenaries by using words that are
appropriate to the specific individual or group is a good way of ensure effective
questioning is happening, which as we know from the literature allows teachers to
accurately assess the knowledge and understanding of the pupils concerning a
specific topic (Newton and Bowler 2010)
...
Accepting these points I still
felt that sometimes it is appropriate to use the correct terminology during my starters
and plenaries, even if that terminology is something the pupils may not understand
initially
...

During my starters and plenaries, one method of questioning which I used involves a
‘hands up’ policy where pupils cannot shout out answers but only give an answer
when asked by the teacher
...
There is no real
evidence to show that this approach works, but I feel it does allow the teacher to see
who at least believes they know the answers and I can then have a better knowledge
of where to base my questions next time, so that most of the hands will go up, and
not just some
...

As a trainee teacher I have limited experience and sometimes I find it a challenge to
overcome these pedagogical issues involved with questioning
...
Through observing them and receiving feedback from them I will be able to test
out different questioning techniques and decide which ones suit me best
...
With this in
mind, I would go as far to say that the use of questioning is indeed an effective
formative assessment technique to use during the starters and plenaries of year 7
physical education lessons
...
However, from evaluating my personal
experiences of using questioning to formatively assess pupils, I feel that questioning
can only be effective if used correctly
...
Elliot (2010) agrees with this when he proposed that
learners would have the opportunity to formulate a range of correct answers and to
be more explanative in their answers through the use of open questions
...
Closed
questions on the other hand can be used to formatively assess pupils knowledge
during a starter or a plenary, however there is the possibly that the students are not
showing their full potential of knowledge or even not understanding the question at
all, just giving the answer that they feel the teacher wants to hear
...
This is
especially true in closed questions, as the learner may just be repeating something
they have previously heard
...
I feel that focusing on questioning

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techniques whilst on placement is invaluable for trainee teachers, as it allows them
to gain knowledge and understanding of the pedagogical issue and through the help
and guidance of experienced teachers, allows the trainee to implement questions
better into their lesson plan and provides them with the chance to improve on their
questioning technique each time they take a lesson
...
Wragg and Brown
(2001) believe this can facilitate learning, so that the questions being asked are
linked to the aims and objectives of a lesson
...

•

Don't focus on one individual pupil, or one group of pupils when asking a
question
...


•

Increase the wait time after asking a question to allow pupils to formulate
better quality and longer answers
...


From my review of the literature, feedback from my mentor and the formation of my
own targets I feel my future teaching will improve, because I have gained a much
greater understanding of the pedagogical issue of questioning, and am look forward
to implementing this understanding in my next placement
...
& Harrison, C
...
& Marshall, B
...
(2003), Assessment
for Learning: Putting It into Practice, Buckingham: Open University Press
...
& Wiliam, D
...

Blosser, P
...
(1991), How to ask the right questions, Department of education
studies: Ohio
...
(2007), What Works for Pupils with Literacy Difficulties? The
Effectiveness of Intervention Schemes, 3rd edition
...

Capel, S
...
& Turner, T
...

Carin, A
...
& Sund, R
...
(1971), Developing questioning techniques: A self-concept
approach, C
...
Merrill Pub
...

Casbon, C
...
(2005), Assessment for Learning in Physical Education,
Leeds: British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education/
Coachwise Business Solutions
...
J
...

Dillon, J
...
(1990), The Practice of Questioning (International Series on
Communication Skills), 1st Edition: Routledge
...
& Harrison, J
...

Elliot, S
...

Grout, H
...
(2009), Improving Teaching and Learning in Physical
Education, Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press, McGraw-Hill
...
T
...
A
...

Newton, A
...
(2010), Assessment for and of learning
...
et al
...
, Learning to Teach Physical Education in the Secondary School: A Companion
to School Experience
...
119-133
...

London
...
B
...

Tobin, K
...

Torrance, H
...
(2001), ‘Developing formative assessment in the classroom:
using action research to explore and modify theory’, British Education Research
Journal, 27(5): 615-31
...
& Black, P
...
(1996), ‘Meanings and consequences: a basis for
distinguishing formative and summative functions of assessment?’, British
Educational Research Journal, 22(5): 537-548
...
& Cameron, R
...

Woods, P
...
) (1980), Pupil Strategies: Explorations in the Sociology of the School,
London: Croom Helm
...
C
...

Wragg, E
...
& Brown, G
...


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