The ways teachers ask questions and the ways students respond will structure the success of student inquiry. Higher-level thinking is encouraged. The constructivist teacher challenges students to reach beyond the simple factual response. He encourages students to connect and summarize concepts by analyzing, predicting, justifying, and defending their ideas. Students are engaged in dialogue with the teacher and with each other.
Social discourse helps students change or reinforce their ideas.
If they have the chance to present what they think and hear others' ideas, students can build a personal knowledge base that they understand. Only when they feel comfortable enough to express their ideas will meaningful classroom dialogue occur. Students are engaged in experiences that challenge hypotheses and encourage discussion. When allowed to make predictions, students often generate varying hypotheses about natural phenomena. The constructivist teacher provides ample opportunities for students to test their hypotheses, especially through group discussion of concrete experiences.