Handling Incorrect Answers

You're in the middle of a great discussion with your class,
and you ask a question about a gospel principle or practice...

A student enthusiastically raises their hand and shares their
answer. Unfortunately, it isn't just slightly incorrect,
it is seriously incorrect.

What would you say? How would you react?

The key is to lovingly teach students correct principles
and doctrine -- while letting them know that you value them
and their contributions to the class.

An article in the April 2006 issue of "The Teaching Professor"
("Tell Students When They're Wrong," page 2) shared some
additional thoughts on this topic. Here are some of the
suggestions from that article:

"Instructors need to be thoughtful and reflective about
those strategies they use when they respond to student's
answers, and this is especially true when the answer given
is wrong. Most of us understand that the stakes are high
in this case. Students are easily intimidated. Even those
not participating can be negatively affected by how an
instructor handles incorrect answers."

The article then shares some quotations from Robert Ehrlich
and Stanley zoltek ("Journal of College Science Teaching,
35(4), pp. 8-10):

"First, telling students they are wrong must be done in a
noninsulting and nonpersonal manner."

"Second, it is not enough to tell students that they are
wrong; they must also be told which aspects of their
answers are correct, and which aspects are incorrect."

"If you succeed in creating a class environment in which
everyone is treated with mutual respect, and being wrong
is okay, you should find that students are less fearful
of being wrong, and more apt to contribute to class
discussion. In this case, students will also be apt to
analyze your comments more carefully and may on occasion
have the pleasure of correcting you the next time you
are wrong."

Best wishes,

Ken

www.KenAlford.com
ScriptureMastery@KenAlford.com