Question Prompts for Small Group Work

Purpose: When students work in small groups, the participation may not be equal. Question Prompts help ensure that everyone participates, makes contributions, and encourages the contributions of others in order to accomplish a shared goal. These important communication skills are in the Transitions Integration Framework, page 9.

Prep Time: 2 minutes (with additional time for preparing a small group activity that you are already planning to do).

Materials: Question Prompt Cards (see link below).

Prep: Print and cut the question prompt cards.

Procedure:

1. While modeling the instructions for the planned small group work, ask some of the questions that are on the Question Prompt Cards.
2. Either write the questions on the board or show them to the class on a projector. Have students repeat the questions a few times. Ask the class what the questions mean and elicit some example answers to the questions. Elicit reasons why it is useful to ask these questions (everyone will share some ideas, get some more ideas, etc).
3. Give each student in a small group one Question Prompt Card. While working in their groups, each student must ask their question at least once.
4. After students complete the small group work, ask a few students to share what they think of the cards and how effective they were.