Facilitation Guide for Effective Conflict

There are six types of questions used in the Socratic Method:
Types of Questions
Sample Questions
Clarification
What do you mean by ____?
Could you put that another way?
How does this relate to our discussion?
Can you give me an example?
They get the students to think more about what exactly they are think-
ing about. Basic ‘tell me more’ questions that get them to go deeper.

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Probing 
Assumptions
What are you assuming?
How did you choose those assumptions?
How can you verify (or disapprove) that assumption?
What could we assume instead?
Probing of assumptions makes them think about the unquestioned
beliefs on which they are founding their argument. People often us un-
thought-through or weakly understood supports for their arguments.
Probing Reasons and 
Evidence 
How do you know?
Why do you think that is true?
What do you think causes that to happen..? Why?
What evidence is there to support what you are saying?
When they describe the evidence behind the arguments, prove if 
those are fact or fiction. People often use weak, refutable evidence to 
support their arguments.
Probing Viewpoint 
and Perspectives
What is another way to look at it?
Would you explain why it is necessary or beneficial, and who ben-
efits?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
What is an alternative?
These questions get the students to explore the position from which 
they are making the argument.
Probing Implications 
and Consequences 
Then what would happen?
Why is this issue important?
What are the consequences of that assumption?
The argument that they give may have logical implications/conse-
quences that can be predicted. Do these make sense?
Are they desirable?
Questions about 
Questions
What does that mean?
What was the point of this question?
Why do you think I asked this question?
Research has shown a strong positive correlation between the teacher’s use of questions that 
ask for clarification, the student learning, and development of their metacognitive skills. Ask-
ing a student to elaborate on an initial response will lead him/her to think more deeply as the 
process of clarifying requires students’ thinking to go beyond superficial first-answer or single-
word responses. 
Apart from helping students develop creative and critical thinking which will certainly be 
of use in their academic development, this way of questioning also encourages students to 
challenge assumptions, and overcome stereotypes and prejudices.

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