Literacy Activities Handbook - Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres

Be careful not to ask questions in a leading way, such that the respondent is guided toward a certain answer.
Sometimes it is helpful to specifically structure the answer you are expecting. For example, you can ask for three things that are the colour blue that were mentioned in a story.
Some learners will give an answer that they believe will be most pleasing to the questioner. Encourage learners to respond according to their own thoughts and feelings on a subject.
Make it clear to the learner when a question can have more than one (or many) answers. This will alleviate fears that the learner may have about giving a "wrong" answer.
Encourage learners to ask their own questions whenever they do not understand something. Be open to receiving and answering questions in a patient manner.
Be prepared with questions ahead of time. If you are planning on reading a passage of text together, write down two or three questions to ask beforehand.
It may be helpful to vary your questioning techniques with learners with lower abilities. This may require longer wait times, providing more clues / cues, or encouraging richer responses through additional questioning.
For learners with shorter attention spans, it may be helpful to use the learner's name prior to asking the question itself. This "advance warning" may help them focus better on the question once it is asked.
Always provide feedback on the responses learners provide.

Adapted from:
The Arc of the United States, A Police Officer's Guide When in Contact with People Who Have Mental Retardation, Arlington, TX
[http://thearc.org/ada/police.html]
Used with Permission

Hints on Effective Questioning Techniques ( From: National Education Association / Illinois Education Association)
[http://www.student-wea.org/misc/question.htm]