Diagnostic Questions

Multiple-choice questions for the board, where every wrong answer points to a specific misconception.

How Diagnostic Questions work

Each question has one correct answer, and every wrong answer is there to catch a specific misconception. So when a student picks the wrong one, you know why.

Each topic starts with questions on the prerequisites, then takes the method one step at a time. Every question has a follow-up with different numbers.

Using them in class

The same four steps for every question, then four ways to make it harder.

Every question

How to run a question

  1. 1

    Ask

    Students think in silence, then rehearse how they would explain their answer.

  2. 2

    Vote

    Everyone shows their answer at the same time, with fingers, cards or mini-whiteboards.

  3. 3

    Discuss

    Reveal the answer, then ask why someone might have picked each wrong one.

  4. 4

    Check

    Vote again on the follow-up question to see if anyone’s thinking has changed.

Going further

Set a challenge

  1. 1

    Question only

    Students work out their own answer before they see the choices.

  2. 2

    Answers only

    Students see the answers and work out what the question might have been.

  3. 3

    Explanation matchup

    Match each student’s explanation to the answer it leads to.

  4. 4

    Minimal change

    Change the question as little as possible so a wrong answer becomes right.

Key stage

No Diagnostic Questions match

Try fewer words, or a different word for the same thing.

Choose a topic

4 topics

Counting and number sense

1All resources →

Fractions

1All resources →

Linear equations

1All resources →

Angles

1All resources →