Training and HRD

TRAINING & HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 3(1+2)

Lesson 1:Training

Questioning skills

• Purpose of asking questions
There are many reasons for trainers asking questions in a training situation.
• To find out if there is a training need
• To find the entry level of participants
• To check participant’s recalling capacity
• To find facts
• To create over learning
• To involve the participants
• To create active learning
• To gain feedback
• To solve problems
• To check understanding
• To clarify relationships
• To use as a revision
• To create discussion
• To keep participants interested
• To stimulate thought
• To re-direct discussion

Trainers who don't use questions are missing out on lots of information and assistance and it may lead to failure from the very beginning.


• Types of questions
  Types of questions can be grouped into separate categories
1. Direct Questions:Direct questions are questions that are posed to a certain person in the group. Such questions may be used to check an individual's understanding of the subject matter. Additionally, they may be used to re-direct the group if the discussion becomes sidetracked or to get a daydreamer involved in the learning process.
2. Overhead Questions:Overhead questions are questions that we pose to the whole group, without directing the question at anyone in particular.
3. Closed Questions:Closed questions usually require a yes/no answer or a single word response. They're quick, but do not give much accuracy if the trainer wants to check knowledge.
4. Leading Questions:Generally a full description of the situation is given, followed by a question on the subject matter. This question can also include a clue to the answer.
5. Rhetorical Questions:Rhetorical questions are the questions that do not require answers and are normally used to get the trainee's into thinking. It is common for trainers to begin their session by posing a rhetorical question to the group.
   Ex : It is up to you to decide whether to wear security clothing while spraying or not!
6. Open-ended Questions:Open-ended questions requests more information of the trainee and they normally require more time to answer. The answers to open-ended questions may show that the trainer needs to jump in quickly to re-direct the response to the required area of thinking. Sometimes open-ended questions can be asked to start a group discussion.
7. Effective Questions:A good question should be designed with the following in mind:
• It should be short.
• It should have only one idea.
• It should be relevant to the topic.
• It should create interest.
• It should use language that everyone can understand.
• It should require more than a guess to answer.
• It should be used to emphasize key points.
• It should relate to previous knowledge.
• It should be a check of knowledge or understanding.