get to know you questionQuestion for teachers: how can you get students to participate when you ask the class a question ?

i ask a question & all they do is give me a blank stare & I know they have an answer. What could I possibly be doing wrong??
Ask specific pupils rather than the whole class or put names in a pot and pull out different pupils for each question
if no one answers, pick on a student.
Offer a reward to answers, like candy. Or if that doesn't help try participation points(if in high school or middle school) and add a participation grade to the grade booget to know you questionk. Or call on specific students
Make participation a grade, offer candy to who gets it right, or do what I do... just call on whoever looks zoned out & then they learn to raise their hands when they actually know the answer :) Works like a charm
Think-pair-share. Tell them that they have 30 seconds to confer with their partner, and then you're going to call on someone randomly for an answer.

Numbered heads together- put them in groups of 3 or 4 and get to know you questionhave them number off. Ask a question, give some time for the group to confer, then call on someone. You can give the groups names, so you can call the group name and a number. I used a deck of cards, then call on "the King of Diamonds" for example, and the student with that card has to answer.

Put them in pairs or groups and give them the questions to discuss and answer.

What DID you learn in your education classes?