Review the lesson material for the upcoming lesson before class begins. Identify the objectives and key concepts of the lesson and create pre-planned questions you can use to get students involved in the lesson. Jot down the key concepts and objectives in a notebook or on a piece of paper.
Write a question for each of your notes. Each question should be an open question instead of a closed question. Closed questions elicit one-word responses. For example, a closed question might be, "What metric unit could we use to measure the length of this desk?" Open questions get students more involved. An open question could be, "How could we measure the length of this desk?" When formulating open questions, try to use the words "how" and "why" as often as possible.
Write down your open questions in your lesson plan in the order you plan to use them during class. These open questions will be your guide when teaching the lesson. However, you should be prepared to diverge from the questions if students ask other questions that lead the class to explore the lesson's objectives and key concepts.
Wait longer than you normally do for students to answer questions. Sometimes students need more time to think when confronted with a new concept. Don't be afraid of the quiet moments that follow your questions. In these quiet moments, students make connections and add to their current store of knowledge.
Take your questions further. When students respond to your carefully crafted questions, ask them to continue along their lines of thought. Prompt students by asking questions of their answers. Ask, "Does anyone have the same answer but another way to explain it?" Challenge answers by asking, "How could we prove that?" or "Does it always work that way?" Ask probing questions in an attitude of learning and exploration, not in an attitude of condescension or skepticism. When you take your students' answers and questions seriously, they feel more willing to trust you and take their learning to a higher level.