Which method is considered effective for prompting critical thinking in students?

Follow-up questions are effective for prompting critical thinking in students because they encourage deeper engagement with the material and promote analytical thinking. This type of questioning invites students to elaborate on their responses, providing them with the opportunity to clarify their thoughts, make connections, and explore the topic more thoroughly. When educators ask follow-up questions, they can guide students toward more complex reasoning and promote discussions that require justification of ideas, thereby fostering a more curious and exploratory learning environment.

In contrast, closed questions, leading questions, and yes/no questions tend to limit the scope of student responses. Closed questions often only require a simple recall of information; leading questions can direct students toward a specific answer rather than allowing for open exploration; and yes/no questions do not encourage elaboration or critical reasoning. Each of these forms of questioning may restrict the students' ability to critically analyze or discuss concepts in depth, making follow-up questions the preferred method for enhancing critical thinking.