---
title: What Is an Open-Ended Question?
description: "¿Cuál es la definición correcta de una pregunta abierta? ¿Pueden ser una afirmación? ¿Pueden empezar con la palabra \"qué\"? ¿Qué más deben tener en cuenta los observadores?"
image: https://info.teachstone.com/hubfs/teacher-and-student-playing-with-animals.jpg
---

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# ¿Qué es una Pregunta Abierta?

 enero 21 2026 by [Sherilyn Crump](https://info.teachstone.com/blog-en-esp/author/sherilyn-crump)

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![](https://info.teachstone.com/hs-fs/hubfs/teacher-and-student-playing-with-animals.jpg?width=519&height=300&name=teacher-and-student-playing-with-animals.jpg)

El escenario: Una maestra está sentada con varios niños merendando, y la maestra le pregunta a un alumno: "¿De qué te vas a disfrazar para Halloween?".

¿Es esta una pregunta abierta o cerrada?

¿Cuál es la definición de una pregunta abierta? Hablamos mucho de ellas en relación con la herramienta CLASS, pero ¿las definimos realmente? En un debate reciente sobre el escenario anterior, yo consideré que la pregunta era abierta, mientras que mi colega no.

Discutimos algunas de las razones por las que podría no ser una pregunta abierta. En primer lugar, la pregunta que hizo la maestra comenzaba con la palabra "¿Qué?". En segundo lugar, el niño podría responder con una sola palabra, como "Tortuga Ninja". Finalmente, la maestra podría ya saber la respuesta. Sin embargo, yo sostengo que hay más aspectos a considerar al definir las preguntas abiertas.

#### **¿Qué es el "¿Qué?"?**

Comencemos con la palabra "qué". Hay ocasiones en que las preguntas que empiezan con "qué" son muy cerradas. Incluyen preguntas como: "¿De qué color es tu camisa?", "¿Qué forma tiene esto?", "¿Qué es esto?" (señalando una imagen) o "¿Qué letra produce el sonido /j/?". Estas son preguntas cerradas cuyas respuestas se limitan a una sola palabra (rojo, diamante, un gato, H).

Sin embargo, las preguntas "¿De qué crees que tratará este libro?", "¿Qué pasó?", "¿Qué opinas?" o incluso "¿Qué desayunaste?" animan a los niños a "...combinar palabras para comunicarse de forma más elaborada o para expresar ideas potencialmente más complejas" (Manual CLASS para niños pequeños, pág. 60).

#### **¿Qué dice el Manual CLASS sobre las preguntas abiertas?**

El Manual CLASS para niños pequeños define las preguntas abiertas como «oportunidades para que los niños respondan al maestro utilizando más de una palabra o cualquier tipo de lenguaje complejo (por ejemplo, usando adjetivos o preposiciones)... los maestros pueden hacer preguntas cuya respuesta se desconoce, pero también pueden hacer preguntas cuya respuesta se conoce» (pág. 60).

Los manuales para preescolar y primaria (K-3) indican: «Las preguntas abiertas son aquellas que invitan a respuestas elaboradas... A menudo, son preguntas cuya respuesta se desconoce; sin embargo, también pueden tener una respuesta conocida» (pág. 79). Cabe destacar que los maestros pueden conocer de antemano la respuesta a la pregunta planteada.

También es importante señalar que las preguntas abiertas no siempre son preguntas propiamente dichas. A veces, son simplemente afirmaciones. Una afirmación abierta podría ser: «¡Cuéntales a tus amigos sobre tu visita al dentista, Hunter!», «Háblame de tu dibujo...» o incluso «Comparte tu historia con el grupo, Tanieshia». Observe cómo estas afirmaciones, iniciadas por el maestro, invitan a los niños a responder de forma elaborada.

#### ¿Cómo se manifiestan estas preguntas (o la ausencia de ellas) en las aulas?

iTambién es útil considerar cómo sería un aula con un bajo nivel de preguntas abiertas. Cuando las aulas se sitúan en este rango, los observadores deben tener en cuenta que los estudiantes rara vez, o nunca, tienen la oportunidad de responder al profesor con un lenguaje más complejo.

Como observadores, creo que es útil prestar atención a la frase "invita a respuestas elaboradas" en el indicador "Preguntas abiertas". Esto les animará a ir más allá de la palabra "requiere" en sus indicadores de comportamiento.

#### **Entonces, "¿De qué te vas a disfrazar para Halloween?"**

Muchos participantes en las capacitaciones de observación CLASS preguntan si es correcto juzgar si una pregunta es abierta o no basándose en las respuestas de los niños. Mi respuesta es sí y no.

Recuerden que el hecho de que los maestros hagan preguntas o formulen enunciados abiertos es solo el primer paso. También deben darles a los estudiantes tiempo para responder. Si el maestro del ejemplo hiciera muchas preguntas, incluyendo preguntas abiertas, pero nunca les diera a los niños la oportunidad de responder, generalmente calificaría esa situación en un nivel intermedio.

Si bien debo preguntarme si el maestro le dio al estudiante la oportunidad de responder, el estudiante podría decir: "...¡un gato negro aterrador con una cola grande!". El estudiante también podría compartir con entusiasmo de qué se iba a disfrazar su hermano o hermana para Halloween.

Ya seas observador, capacitador o incluso maestro, ¡espero que esta publicación amplíe tu definición de preguntas y enunciados "abiertos"!

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