The Power of Open-Ended Questions: How to Effectively Check a Child’s Understanding

Checking your child's understanding goes beyond asking, “Do you get it?” or “Did you understand that?”  

While these yes-or-no questions may be quick, they rarely reveal how well your child has actually grasped a concept.  

Effective questioning is key to successful information gathering and checking what your children have understood from the learning intended. Therefore, it is important for us, as parents and teachers, to develop a range of effective questioning techniques, enabling us to gain a good sense of how well our children are learning. 

Why Open-Ended Questions Matter? 

Open-ended questions prompt children to explain their thinking, describe processes, or make connections. This not only reveals their level of comprehension but also strengthens their communication and critical thinking skills. 

For example: 

• Instead of asking: “Did you finish your maths?” 

• Try: “How did you solve that math problem? What strategy did you use?” 

Such questions turn a passive check-in into an active conversation. 

Strategies for Asking Open-Ended Questions 

Here are several practical ways to use open-ended questions effectively: 

1. Encourage Explanation

Ask questions that require your child to explain their reasoning or approach. 

• “Can you talk me through how you figured that out?” 

• “What do you think the author was trying to say?” 

These prompt children to clarify their thought process, helping you to spot misconceptions. 

2. Invite Personal Connections

Make learning more meaningful by connecting it to your child’s experiences. 

• “Have you ever felt like one of the characters in the story?” 

• “How would you use this skill in real life?” 

This not only checks understanding but also deepens engagement. 

3. Promote Prediction and Inference

Encourage your children to think ahead or read between the lines. Develop their understanding by using probing questions. 

• “What do you think will happen next?” 

• “Why do you think that character made that choice?” 

• “How do we know…?” 

Inference questions reveal comprehension at a deeper level. 

4. Use “What If” Scenarios

These encourage flexible thinking and application. 

• “What if you had done it a different way?” 

• “What would happen if we changed this part?”  

This fosters creative thinking and assesses understanding of cause and effect. 

5. Ask for Summaries and Paraphrasing

Getting your children to summarize in their own words shows how well they grasp the reading material.  

• “Can you tell me what that part was about?” 

• “How would you explain this to a friend?” 

Paraphrasing demonstrates retention and comprehension. 

Be Patient and Listen 

Open-ended questions often take children longer to answer.  Give them time to think. Resist the urge to jump in with the answer or rephrase the question too quickly. Genuine listening builds trust and helps your children feel valued and heard. 

Conclusion 

Effective understanding checks rely less on right-or-wrong answers and more on your child’s ability to articulate thoughts.  

By shifting from yes/no questions to thoughtful, open-ended ones, parents and educators can unlock insights into how children learn—and guide them more effectively. 

Useful resources that you may want to look at: 

1. The Teaching Walkthrus Series, By Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli (2020)  https://walkthrus.co.uk
   The WalkThrus are designed for busy teachers wanting to improve quickly and efficiently, making expert pedagogy clear and concise for all.
   
   
2. Twinkl Resources:
   The WalkThrus are designed for busy teachers wanting to improve quickly and efficiently, making expert pedagogy clear and concise for all.

6 Top "Open Ended Maths Investigation Cards" Teaching Resources curated for 

Effective Questioning Across the Curriculum (teacher made)