Use Your Noodle: Student-Generated Questions in the Early Childhood Setting

Abstract

In early childhood education, nurturing curiosity is essential. It is widely recognized that encouraging students to ask questions is crucial. This practice fosters meaningful connections with literacy and language and boosts engagement, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, especially among economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This article explores the practical use of the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) in teaching young children from under-resourced schools.  We share our experiences implementing the QFT during a summer enrichment program.  Through vignettes highlighting the children “using their noodles,” we showcase how the QFT serves as an inclusive teaching tool and offer insights for educators on customizing it to meet the developmental needs of young learners.