How Not to Check for Understanding

"Does anyone have any questions? No one. So we all understand?" 
I am guilty of doing this in my classroom, and as Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey admit in the opening of Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom, they are too.   However, they go on to explain why we can not do it again.

Rather than respond to these questions, most will sit quietly, and the lecturer doesn't know whether they understand, they are too confused to answer, they think they get it (but are off base), or they are too embarrassed to show their lack of understanding in front of others (1).

 Questioning can be a very effective instructional strategy; it can even be a powerful form of formative assessment.  But the vague and general questions above will not help a teacher to gather the specific data to inform instruction or to offer specific feedback to the learner.  I will freely admit that I ask these rather useless questions sometimes when I think that the students already know a piece of information I am reviewing, or I am in a hurry, or when I am already thinking ahead to the next task or assignment.  But, it will not do. 

Additionally, students aren't always self-regulated learners.  They may not be aware of what they do or do not understand.   They sometimes think they get it, when they really don't.

 I experienced this phenomenon myself this week.  I was taking a dance class and the instructor showed us a sequence of movements and explained what she was doing. She then asked if there were any questions.  I was not quite sure what she was doing, but I decided that I at least understood well enough to muddle through it. However, when she had us perform the movement, I realized I had no idea what I was doing.  I fit clearly in the doesn't know whether they understand category.  I thought that I knew, but I was way off base.  Had the instructor not checked for understanding by making us show her, I would have had no idea that I was confused, and the instructor would not have known that she needed to take the time to break down the sequence into greater detail.  Checking for understanding made me aware as a learner and informed the instruction that followed.