How can adult interactions through questioning be used to enable a deeper level of critical thinking and impact communication?

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of adult interactions and questioning on children’s critical thinking and communication skills. Observations of adult-child interactions were conducted in the Autumn Term and again in the Summer Term, following a dedicated period of staff training in the Spring Term. Findings revealed an increase in the number of open-ended questions, ‘I wonder’ style questions and adult modelling. The impacts of these changes are explored further through three different case studies. The research findings highlight three guiding principles to support adult-child interactions and adult questioning. Adults need to consider the type of questions used, the way in which they are posed and their role in the learning process as a thinking and learning companion.