Skip to main content

Socratic Questioning

What is Socratic questioning?

A discussion based, dialogic questioning approach which uses structured, open-ended questions which can be philosophical and challenging (Edutopia, 2021).

In this section, principles of Socratic Questioning are introduced. Self-guided resources are:

  • Learning approach: how learning takes place in Socratic Questioning, and the role of teacher and student in the classroom process.
  • Video: How to use the Socratic Method (The Right Question,2021).
  • Explore further: Additional resource links and videos to explore to support Socratic Questioning.

Quick Links for Socratic Questioning

Learning approach: Socratic questioning allows the student to develop and demonstrate their thinking through scaffolded questions by the teacher. Knowledge is extracted, developed, and refined through stepped questions which start with a ‘big’ question, for example “What is green energy?”. Questioning strategies share many common features with Blooms Taxonomies lower and higher order questioning (Edutopia, 2021).

Video: How to use the Socratic Method

In this 3-minute video, the principles of using the Socratic questioning method are discussed (The Right Question, 2021)

How learning takes place: Learning takes place through teacher-student discussion through structured questioning. Socratic Seminars can be particularly effective in exploring a pre-assigned text, video, or artefact. Question and response forms are structured and taught, providing scaffolding and modelling of appropriate dialogue to probe, agree, disagree, and request additional explanation. Seminars follow a format student are familiar with, which needs to be taught. Within seminars protocols for active listening and engagement can support students quickly knowing what is expected. Subject matter should have an element of ambiguity and be open ended with no right answer leading to deep discussion, rather than debate. A Socratic process helps students identify what they do and don’t know or understand, identifies misconceptions or assumptions, breaks down complex ideas, supports analysis, and provides a model for students on how to ask questions (Geographical Association, 2023).

There are six forms of Socratic question:

Socratic Questioning Process:

Socratic Questioning edit

Explore Further: Resources to Support Socratic Questioning

Scaffolding discussion video pic

Scaffolding discussion skills with a Socratic Circle

(Edutopia, 2019)

Six types of Socratic questions infographic

(Bowman, 2017)

Using Socratic method in your classroom

(Edutopia, 2021)

Socratic Questioning from the Geographical Association

(2023) UK

Advantages: Questioning builds from the big idea and uses questioning to elicit student responses and build from the students’ knowledge and understanding. Students build on one another’s knowledge and rationales. Socratic questioning allows assumptions to be tested, the thinking processes of critical analysis to be made visible to students, and students own questioning skills to develop within a Socratic framework (Sec Ed 2017).

Cautions: The Socratic method aims to produce deeper understanding in students of key ideas, phenomenon, and beliefs but requires the student to have prior knowledge to interrogate and develop. Use of language is sophisticated, requiring students to justify their ideas, often in front of others. This can create disadvantages for students who find public expression of ideas difficult, who do not have the same subject knowledge as their peers. In addition, the classroom environment must be supportive to students expressing and exploring ideas (Sec Ed, 2017).

*Free registration required to access resources