I often use the 5 Whys method in my ESL classroom for both teacher reflection and student learning. This method was developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries.
It’s a problem-solving technique used to identify the root cause of an issue by asking Why? five times (or as many times as needed) in a row. The idea is that by repeatedly asking Why? you can peel back the layers of symptoms and uncover the underlying cause of the problem. Here’s how it works:
Ask Why? about the problem you’re facing.
When you get an answer, ask Why? again based on that answer.
Repeat this process five times, or until you reach the root cause.
Let me give you an example: I want to buy an expensive coat.
Why do you want to buy it?
Because I like it.Why do you like it?
Because it looks stylish and modern.Why do you want something stylish and modern?
Because I want to look good and feel confident.Why do you want to feel confident?
Because sometimes I feel insecure.Why do you sometimes feel insecure?
Because I’m not sure if I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I doubt my decisions and sometimes question my path in life.
And that’s where it starts to touch on deeper issues, like self-worth or fear of failure. The 5 Whys can help uncover parts of ourselves we might not want to face, but it can also be very liberating. It helps us understand what truly matters to us and why certain things affect us more than others.
It’s a simple way to dig deeper and understand the real cause of problems rather than just fixing surface-level symptoms! Now, let me show you how I apply it in my ESL classroom.
Example:
My classroom feels chaotic and unproductive.
Why?
Students are not focused during lessons.Why?
They are often distracted and talk during activities.Why?
The activities aren’t engaging enough to hold their attention.Why?
I haven’t varied the types of activities lately.Why?
I’ve been relying on traditional exercises instead of more interactive, dynamic activities.
Here, the 5 Whys helped me realize that the problem might not be with the students themselves, but with a lack of variety in my lesson delivery. I think my lessons are monotonous, and I need to incorporate more engaging and interactive activities to improve classroom management.
Here’s another example:
My students are having trouble speaking when I ask them a question.
Why?
They are afraid of making mistakes.Why?
They worry about how others will react.Why?
They’re shy and probably have had negative experiences with speaking in the past.Why?
The class is very competitive, and students don’t collaborate enough.Why?
I put them on the spot, and they don’t feel confident speaking in front of their classmates.
In this case, the 5 Whys helped me realize that I should incorporate more group work or pair work, where students can feel more comfortable talking to each other.
I hope you find this tool useful and that you’ll consider using it in your classes. Happy teaching!
