ve an indefinite
answer, and hence lead to and encourage guessing. If the answers to
such questions as the above are not indefinite, they must be purely
memoriter, merely reproducing the words of the text without
comprehension of any real meaning.

Indefinite questioning usually comes from a lack of clear thinking on
the part of the questioner. The teacher himself does not know
precisely what he means to ask, and hence cannot be definite. It is
safe to say that the teacher's questions covering a subject will never
be any more clear or definite than the subject itself is in his mind.
Indeed it is hard for one to be wholly definite in questioning even
when he is a perfect master of his subject. Certainly, then, eternal
vigilance will be the price of clearness and definiteness on the part
of the young teacher who is as yet striving for mastery of what he is
teaching.

7. _Secondary principles of good questioning_

Besides the foregoing fundamental principles underlying the art of
questioning, there are a few secondary principles, some of which are
of hardly less importance:--

1. Questions should be asked naturally, and in a conversational tone,
and not explosively _demanded_ of pupils.

2. Usually the question should be addressed to the entire class and,
after all have had a moment to think, some one then designated to
answer. The reason for this is obvious. If the one who is to answer is
designated before the question is asked, the incentive to the rest of
the class to think the answer is greatly lessened.

3. No regular order should be followed in calling on pupils. If such
an order is established, the lazy and uninterested ones have a
tendency to remain inactive until called upon. By the hit-and-miss
method of calling no one knows at what moment he may be the next one,
hence there is a strong incentive to attend to the lesson. It is also
desirable to call on a pupil occasionally the second time very soon
after he has previously been called upon. This prevents him from
thinking that as soon as he has recited once he can then safely relax
his attention.

4. Inattentive or mischievous pupils should be the mark for frequent
questions. If it comes to be known that any inattention is sure to
bring questions to the pupil at fault, the battle for attention is
half won. There is a strong tendency on the part of the teacher to ask
for the answer to a question from those whose eyes show that they are
attentive and rea