Questioning Strategies: Create a Conversation 

Remember Tilden's #2 principle - information alone is not interpretation. Information alone is interp-data and we want to avoid that.
Guests enjoy being engaged in a program. One way to encourage their participation is to ask questions. A questioning sequence can be used to help guests make connections and relate it to their own lives. Asking questions is essential to effective interpretation and fulfilling Tilden's principles.

Questions can fall into a few different categories:
Open Questions: all answers are acceptable and correct ("What do you see as you look at the animals?")
Closed Questions: Requires a specific, correct answer (What are some causes of marine debris?")
Yes/No Questions: Specific kind of closed question which engages entire audience and through body language, you can almost guarantee that they will all get the correct answer ("Do all people believe in climate change?")
Discussion Questions: asking the guest or group to think about previously imparted information and talk among themselves or with you ("What role do you think zoos and aquariums play in saving species from extinction?")
Application Questions: posed to a guest or group for further reflection. ("What will you do to help preserve the ecosystem you saw today?")

Remember: if a question is important enough to ask, it is important enough to let the guest respond. Allow some think time before providing answers. 



During an interpretive interaction, you can think about using Hooks, Lines, and Sinkers.

• Hooks (Initiating an interaction)
• Greet and ask guests where they are from
• Open with an Observation question (Did you notice....)
• Positive Personal Statement (great hat!, I love that team!)
• Self-disclosing statement (I love watching the jellies....)
• Listening to guests (I overheard you wondering if.....)
• Share an interpretive object (would you like to touch a ....)
• Lines (Continuing the interaction)
• Using the senses
• Anecdotal approach/a short personal story to convey information (An octopus is a very smart animal. It can solve puzzles. I've watched it open a jar"
• Cooperative approach (can you find all of the camouflaged fish in the tank?)
• Problem-solving approach (why do you think it's called a lemon shark?)
• Kinesthetic approach (Can you vocalize like a frog?)
• Sinkers (Ending the interaction)
• Leading approach/invite them to visit other exhibits
• Observable approach/thank guests for visiting as they move on
• Action item approach/ask guests to consider a behavior (Now that you know how marine debris is harmful to animals think about skipping the straw the next time you're at a restaurant)

Response Strategies
The way you respond to questions you've asked sets the tone for your guests. If you are welcoming and receptive to guest comments, more discussion is generated and the likelihood of success is enhanced. It's also important to ensure that as an interpreter you are truly listening to what the guest has said, rather than making assumptions based on answers you are hoping for or what people usually say at your station. Good response strategies can be classified in three ways. The most appropriate response will be dictated by the individual situation and the personal style of the interpreter.

• Accepting Response (most ideal)
• Passive acceptance: nodding your head, saying ok without judgement or evaluation
• Active acceptance: expressing your understanding of what the visitor is saying (so you're saying that....)
• Empathetic acceptance: expressing your feelings as you show that you understand the visitors response (I can see you're upset by.....)
• Clarifying Response (clears up what the visitor is trying to express)
• Could you explain what you mean by....
• Facilitating Data (supply the needed information through a variety of ways)
• Provide an opportunity for discovery themselves
• Serve as a data source (if you are knowledgeable)
• Refer the visitor to other sources
• Make materials available for the visitor to see other answers
• Offer to look at other sources with the visitor to discuss.