NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

Which approach focuses on students analyzing, evaluating, and creating answers?

1. Convergent questions

2. Divergent questions

3. Norm-referenced assessments

4. Criterion-referenced assessments

The correct answer is: Divergent questions

The approach that emphasizes students analyzing, evaluating, and creating answers is known as divergent questioning. This method encourages a wide range of responses and critical thinking, prompting students to explore multiple possibilities and perspectives rather than converging on a single correct answer. Divergent questions often stimulate creativity and allow students to express their understanding in various ways, facilitating deeper comprehension and fostering an environment where critical thinking skills can flourish. In contrast, convergent questions tend to focus on a single right answer, promoting recall rather than analysis or creativity. Norm-referenced assessments rank students against each other, which doesn’t inherently encourage the evaluative and creative thinking that divergent questions do. Criterion-referenced assessments measure student performance against specific criteria or standards, which can include analysis but are generally more structured and may not fully enable the expansive thinking associated with divergent questioning. Thus, the nature of divergent questioning uniquely supports the skills of analysis, evaluation, and creation.