1. Open Questions

Definition: Invite the other person to think, explain, or explore ideas in depth. They do not have a simple yes/no answer.
Example: “What are your thoughts on how that lesson went?”

2. Follow-Up Questions

Definition: Show genuine curiosity and help clarify or extend the other person’s thinking.
Example: “Can you tell me more about what led you to that decision?”

3. Reflective Questions

Definition: Encourage the speaker to look inward and consider their beliefs, actions, or impact.
Example: “How do you think your approach influenced student engagement?”

Why is curiosity important in conversations? How has it helped a discussion you had?

Unhelpful Questions

Which unhelpful question type (demand, setup, stump, angry, loaded) causes the most problems? How can it hurt trust or stop conversation?

Barriers to Listening
What makes it hard to listen carefully? (Common barriers: distraction, assumptions, rehearsing a response.) What helps you stay focused?

Better Listening Habits
What listening habit do you want to improve? How could it help your conversations with LTS staff?

• Demand questions – feel like commands (“Why didn’t you…?”)

• Setup questions – push for agreement (“Don’t you think you should…?”)

• Stump questions – test or trap the person (“Can you name all the steps we covered?”)

• Angry questions – come from frustration (“What were you thinking?”)

• Loaded Questions - unfair assumption that puts the other person on the defensive (“Why are your students always off task?”)