Reciprocal Peer Questioning
King’s reciprocal questioning has students generate and pose questions to each other, with neither knowing the answer. This produces genuine enquiry rather than rehearsal. Aim to think.
The strategy, as published
Exactly as it appears on the card
Part of Student-Generated Questions in 04 Questioning & Discussion, where it sits alongside its neighbouring strategies, the infographic and the thinking for the whole area.
Why you might use it
The problem it may help with
King's reciprocal questioning takes question stems one step further: students generate questions and pose them to each other, with neither the asker nor the answerer knowing the answer in advance. That last condition is the interesting one. It produces genuine enquiry rather than rehearsal.
The card's closing instruction is the spirit of the thing: aim to think.
What it might look like
One version of it, in a classroom
After a fortnight's work on the circulatory system, pairs each write a question using the stems, swap, and work on answers together. One pair lands on a question about why valves fail that neither can answer, and brings it to the teacher; the question becomes the next lesson's opening.
Try it
A way to begin
Run it first on content already taught, with stems provided and ten minutes protected: one question each, swap, then talk through the answers together.
What to notice
Reading what happens
- Whether pairs are enquiring or rehearsing: questions they already know the answers to are practice, not this.
- The talk while answering. At its best it sounds like exploratory talk in miniature.
- The questions neither pupil can answer, which are information for you.
Things to think about
Before and while you use it
- Teaching the stems comes first; this card assumes the previous one.
- When a pair is stuck, the temptation to hand over the answer is strong. A good question is meant to be wrestled with; give the struggle a little room before you shorten it.
The wider thinking
Where the evidence sits
King tested reciprocal peer questioning directly against discussion of teacher questions; the distinction between enquiry and rehearsal is hers. The card’s attribution stands as published: King.
The fuller picture, sources included, is in further reading and evidence for Questioning & Discussion.
Keep exploring
Where next?
Back to this strategy in 04 Questioning & Discussion, across to what you're trying to improve, or into all 144 at once.
Want to take this further?
Support is available
Pedagogy First gives you a starting point. If you want support exploring how approaches like this can work across your school, trust or professional learning programme, that work is available.