9.1 Tips for Phrasing Questions

The way a question is asked makes a big difference to the quality of the response.

Clear phrasing works best

• Be specific → instead of "help with maths," try "show me how to multiply fractions step by step."
• Add context → include the subject, year level, or outcome if relevant.
• Break down complex requests → ask one thing at a time instead of combining many tasks.

Examples

• Less effective: "Help me with English."
• More effective: "Give me three practice questions on persuasive writing for Year 8."

For teachers

• Model clear question-asking for students in class.
• Encourage students to rephrase if they don't get the answer they expect.
• Show students they can ask for different styles of explanation (e.g. simpler, step-by-step, or with examples).

For students

• If the answer doesn't make sense, try re-asking the question in another way.
• Use follow-up prompts like:
  • "Explain that more simply."
  • "Show me an example."
  • "Can you give me a practice question on this?"

Summary

Good questions lead to good answers. Teaching both staff and students how to phrase questions clearly makes CurricuLLM more reliable, reduces confusion, and supports deeper learning.