88 The Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare Practice
such as, “tell me what would help you get to the next level”. Scaling
questions, since they ask the learner to appraise themselves, put the
put the locus of control with the learner. Table 4.6 presents the basic
steps for creating a scaling question.
Table 4.6. How to Ask Scaling Questions (adapted from Visser, 2009)
Basic step Example
Explain the scale to the learner.
Imagine a scale from 0 – 10. The 10
represents how you would like things
to turn out. The 0 represents the
situation before anything has been
realized.Ask where the learner is currently on
the scale.
“Where are you now on the scale?”Focus on how the learner achieved his
or her current place on the scale.
How did you manage to get where you
are now? What has been working well?Ask about earlier successes.
What is the highest position you have
been on the scale? What worked well?Visualize what the scale looks like
closer to the desired state.
How would things look if you were at
a 9?Ask what small steps might be made to
move forward or upward on the scale.
What would a small step forward look
like?Scaling questions are variable and appropriate for many types
of situations.
To find success: On this scale, 10 is the desired situation and 0 is the
situation in which nothing has been accomplished yet.
To measure improvement: On this scale, 10 is “I am consistently
implementing the new skill,” and 0 is “I am not ready to implement