Questioning Techniques

In terms of questioning, I am largely using a cold call method instead of asking for volunteers. I also use that method to prompt responses from students who look like they may be zoning out. I tried using the technique of asking a softball question and then following up with more difficult questions while teaching a lesson on alliteration. I used this technique during the initial review part of the lesson with great success. I would ask a simple recall question involving a term and then ask them for examples or the reasoning behind the term or phrase. The students seemed to really take to this method. The initial question would jog their memory and then the other more difficult questions seemed to really stretch the concept and assess their comprehension of it.
  It did not work as well when it came to the new material of the day. They would usually get the pulse questions and then had great difficulty when I would stretch the depth of the questioning. They really had trouble connecting things and thinking outside the box. They are much more successful with straightforward and literal questions. I have observed with some of the other lessons that they are not used to using their imagination in school or thinking. Welcome to "No Child Left Behind".... It feels like they are more adept to programmed responses than critical thinking or creative writing. The questioning technique was more useful for review of things that they had prior knowledge of, rather than applying it to the lesson of the day and the new subject matter. I heard a lot of crickets when I tried questions with greater depth.
   I feel that I will probably use more of a cold call system in my classroom in the Fall. I may use the "name on stick" technique as the kids seemed to enjoy that one. I am also really concerned with how to approach getting them to think more critically. I have made worksheets with responses to questions they might have fun with and still apply some knowledge, but they end up focusing on the wrong things. It is a goal of mine to find a questioning technique that spurs thought beyond the literal and face value. A lot of emphasis was placed on critically thinking and stretching your writing when I was their age, and I hope that I can give them some of the tools they need to be successful thinkers and writers.