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The Hinge Point


One of the most important shifts we can make as teachers is moving from hoping students understood something… to actually knowing.


Not through a gut feeling.

Not through a quick “Any questions?”

But through evidence.


We've all been there. We've all done it. We've asked a question like 'does that make sense?", and moved on in a lesson because there were no objections, no questions or request for clarification. But really, it is in moments like these that our practice matters most. Every lesson has a moment where we need that evidence, a hinge point where our next move depends on what students can genuinely show us about their understanding. A point of which we should echo, extend or reteach based on what we know about student understanding. A well-crafted hinge question gives us that clarity rather than just assuming it. And more than that, it helps students check in with themselves, too. Hinge questions don’t just tell us what students know.They tell students what they know.


Shifting from asking “Do you understand?” to inviting “Show me what you understand” is a subtle change, but one that transforms learning.


Why Hinge Questions Matter

A truly effective hinge question does a few things at once:

  • uncovers misconceptions we might not see otherwise

  • invites students to reveal and justify their thinking

  • pushes reasoning instead of guessing

  • gives us instant feedback to guide our next steps in teaching


Dylan Wiliam describes hinge questions as sitting right at the intersection of instruction and formative assessment 'making the assessment directly influence the instruction in real-time'. When you ask one at the right moment, it can completely change the direction of a lesson.


But the use of hinge questions also provides learners with an opportunity to reveal thier understanding to themselves. To answer well, they have to pause… think… justify… evaluate. That small pause is metacognition in motion.


Metacognition and Hinge Questions

Metacognition is often described as “thinking about our thinking,” but in the classroom it’s really about students learning to notice their understanding.

Hinge questions help students:

  • check their thinking in real time

  • explain or defend their reasoning

  • spot confusion they hadn’t recognised

  • become more aware of how they learn

Used consistently, these moments build assessment-capable learners who aren’t afraid of being wrong — they’re curious about their thinking and confident in talking about it.


Reasoning in a world of AI

With AI tools able to produce correct answers instantly, the real value in learning shifts towards reasoning, decision-making, and understanding. Hinge questions slow things down. They turn the “right answer” into just one part of the stort, with the thinking becoming the real focus. They also protect us from assumptions. Instead of pushing ahead because “most students look fine,” hinge questions let us make decisions based on evidence, not guesswork.


What Makes a Great Hinge Question?

The best hinge questions:

  • target a key idea or common misconception

  • offer 2–4 plausible options

  • require students to think, compare, or explain

  • point you clearly toward the next step

They’re not recall questions.They’re thinking questions.


Some examples:

  • What makes you say that?

  • What is the difference between _____ and _____?

  • How could you explain this to someone who wasn't here?


They encourage students to pause, think, and connect ideas in ways that make sense to them, giving you a clear window into what they really know.


Hinge Questions Resource

The problem with using Hinge Questions is retraining our brains to use effective examples in context. To unlearn the use of questions like 'does that make sense' in favour of those which invite learners to reveal what they in fact do or do know understand. Teaching is fast paced and at times we can easily forget great examples to use. To support this, I've created this 'top ten Hinge Questions' anchor chart to prompt and support their use in the classroom.




Display it in a place where you know you will use it as a useful tool for prompting and communicating with your students.

A Small Strategy With Big Impact

When hinge questions become part of our everyday practice, everything feels more purposeful:

  • lessons slow down in the right places

  • misconceptions surface earlier

  • students become more reflective thinkers

  • teachers feel more confident about “what comes next”

  • curiosity, clarity, and agency rise together

Most importantly, hinge questions tune us into student thinking; and tune students into themselves.


“Any questions?” rarely tells us what we need to know. A good hinge question almost always does, and it's what we then do with this information that matters most.


Reference: Wiliam, D., & Leahy, S. (2015). Designing great hinge questions.

 
 
 

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