Hinge Questions

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Why it works

A hinge question (a term from formative assessment, associated with Dylan Wiliam) is a carefully designed question posed at a key decision point (hinge) in a lesson, where the teacher needs to know whether students understand before moving on. A good hinge question has specific features: all students can respond quickly (often with a quick format so you see everyone's answer), and the answer options are designed so that different answers reveal different understandings or misconceptions, letting you interpret at a glance whether students grasp the concept and, crucially, decide what to do next (move on, reteach, address a misconception). This is more targeted and actionable than general checking for understanding: the question is designed to diagnose specific understanding and inform an immediate instructional decision. Designing good hinge questions is a learnable, high-leverage formative skill.

The research: Formative assessment; hinge questions (Wiliam).

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: design a hinge question

Teachers leave with a hinge question for a key decision point.

Find a key decision point in a lesson where you need to know if students understand.
Design a question all students can answer quickly (so you see everyone's response).
Make the answer options reveal specific understandings or misconceptions.
Use the responses to decide what to do next (move on, reteach, address a misconception).

One question that tells you what to do nextA hinge question, answerable by all quickly, with answers that diagnose specific understanding, tells you at a glance whether to move on or reteach. Design them for key decision points.

Facilitator notes

Pose it at a key decision point, quick and all-class.
Design answers to diagnose understanding.
Use it to decide the next move.

Vague does everyone understand? tells you almost nothingAsking if everyone understands, or sampling a few, does not diagnose understanding. Design hinge questions with quick, all-class, interpretable answers that inform your next move.

Adapt it

Elementary: quick all-class question, interpret, decide.
Secondary: diagnostic hinge question, misconceptions, decide.
All settings: quick, all-class, diagnostic, decision-linked.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Hinge Questions: diagnose and decide

Know what to do next: a quick, all-class question whose answers diagnose understanding and inform your move.

The key decision point where I need to know understanding:
The quick, all-class question I design:
How the answer options reveal specific understanding or misconceptions:
How I use the responses to decide what to do next:
A lesson to add a hinge question to:

Make it stick

Diagnose and decide:

Design hinge questions.
Use them to decide.
Bring a hinge question to the next PLC.

Common questions

What is a hinge question?

A carefully designed question at a key decision point in a lesson, where you need to know whether students understand before moving on. All students respond quickly, and the answers reveal specific understandings or misconceptions, informing your next move.

How is it different from checking for understanding?

It is more targeted: designed so different answers diagnose specific understandings or misconceptions, and tied to an immediate instructional decision (move on, reteach). General CFU may tell you less and inform less.

What makes a good hinge question?

All students can respond quickly (so you see everyone), and the answer options are designed so different answers reveal different understanding or specific misconceptions, letting you decide what to do next at a glance.