Inspiring Inquiries
A course on inquiry-based learning for ELT teachers
The pathway
With the Inspiring Inquiries pathway, you’ll find everything you need to become a successful inquiry-based teacher. Starting with the core course, you’ll cover the fundamentals of inquiry-based learning and begin practising this approach with your learners. The extended pathway offers additional training in areas that all teachers will find relevant.
NEXT COURSE START DATE: 6 NOVEMBER 2023
Course Programme
Inspiring Inquiries is a six-week online course on inquiry-based learning for teachers working with young learners in the English language (EFL/ESL) classroom.
The course includes:
🎬Input videos with activities
💬6 live workshops
🧑🏻🏫Weekly practical tasks for you to carry out in the classroom
👥A small online community with tutor support
✍️A reflection journal to help you record your progress
Unit 1 Universal Design for Learning & inclusion
We’ll start the course by exploring Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how it helps create an inclusive classroom. We’ll also look at the inclusion principles and consider the importance of our teaching approach.
Unit 2 What is inquiry-based learning?
After being introduced to inquiry-based learning and its key features, you’ll discover how it can be used in the EFL classroom.
Unit 3 Planning an inquiry
Now you know the basics, we’ll explore the inquiry cycle and examine the different stages in an inquiry. You’ll start to plan an inquiry for a specific group of students.
Unit 4 Carrying out an inquiry
Here you’ll explore the practicalities of setting up an inquiry in the classroom. You’ll also start thinking about resources and tools that might be suitable for each stage.
Unit 5 Making thinking visible
How do we know that students are learning? By making thinking visible. We’ll explore different strategies for documenting learning and you’ll analyse an example inquiry resource pack.
Unit 6 Designing your own inquiry
In this end-of-course project, you’ll put everything you’ve learned into practice as you design an inquiry for your students. Includes personalised feedback.
Michelle Worgan
Course Tutor
As a lifelong learner with a natural curiosity, I’ve spent a lot of my career reading, attending webinars and talks, and trying to discover new approaches for ELT teaching and language learning. I’m a published ELT author and I run regular training sessions and workshops at conferences and events.
In stock
| Course dates: | 2th November to 17th December |
| Prices: | 350€ plus VAT where applicable (for the core course – see other pricing options below) |
| Bookings open: | October |
Pay a small deposit of 60€ to secure your place now.
I signed up for Inspiring Inquiries because I wanted to take my after-school English curriculum to the next level. I’d heard of inquiry-based learning, and it sounded like the ideal way to make my classes more rigorous yet also fun and interesting for my learners. The course did not disappoint! Under Michelle’s expert guidance, I explored different models of inquiry-based learning and developed an inquiry unit to use in the classroom. My cohort met for a live session once a week, which was a great opportunity to ask questions and to hear the ideas and perspectives of other teachers. I also learned a lot from the videos and writing activities included in the weekly homework. I really appreciated having everything in one place so I could study the material at any time. I highly recommend this course to primary language teachers who would like to start using inquiry-based learning in their teaching.
Extended Pathway
These additional modules form part of the Inspiring Inquiries pathway but are also available separately. More information soon!
Module A: The Curriculum
Discover how to map an inquiry to your curriculum.
Module D: Cooperative Learning
Explore strategies for effective group work, which is key in inquiry-based learning.
Module B: Differentiation
Explore strategies to adapt the level of your inquiry to your students.
Module E: Classroom Management
Learn how to manage students effectively during each stage of an inquiry.
Module C: Assessment
Learn how to evaluate your students’ learning through formative assessment.
Module F: Personalised Learning
Discover how to offer more autonomy with a free inquiry.
What will I learn?
At the end of the course, you will have a thorough understanding of how inquiry-based learning works and its benefits. You will feel confident in planning, leading and carrying out an inquiry and will have designed your own inquiry for your classroom. Finally, you will be able to reflect on the inquiry process carried out and identify potential issues and areas for improvement.
If you follow the complete Inspiring Inquiries pathway, you will be equipped to carry out effective inquiry-based learning in the classroom and beyond. With the Infinite programme, you’ll also get personalised feedback on your teaching after the course ends.
I would highly recommend Michelle’s course. Despite not working in the primary classroom, it was easy to apply the materials and scenarios to my own specific context. As a teacher trainer and materials writer, it gave me the opportunity to re-think my approach to teacher training and how I can engage teachers and get them more invested in their own development. The course is very clear and easy to follow, with the added benefit of being able to discuss and try things out in the live sessions. Michelle guides you through the ideas behind inquiry-based learning, but the course is very practical so it gives you ideas you can use straight away in the classroom. A clear benefit is working with the other course participants and having a feeling of community. I would recommend it for all young learner teachers, even those who feel like they are constrained by having to use a textbook or follow a set syllabus in the school where they teach since many aspects of this course can be applied to all types of young learner class. This type of teaching can have a wonderfully positive impact on learners especially those who don’t thrive in a more traditional classroom environment.
Flexible
Core course plus optional add-ons- The core six-week course
- Payment plans (2 instalments)
- Mini-courses
- Inquiry Implementation
- Add-ons: 1 x mini-course 37€ / 3 x mini-courses 90€
- *Excluding VAT. Payment plans may include surcharges
Pathway
Core course plus mini-courses- The core six-week course
- 6 x mini-courses
- Payment plans (3 x instalments*)
- Inquiry Implementation Observation & Feedback (available as an add-on at 180€)
- *Excluding VAT. Payment plans may include surcharges
Infinite
All-inclusive- The core six-week course
- 6 x mini-courses
- Inquiry Implementation Personalised Observation & Feedback
- Payment plans* (3 instalments)
- *Excluding VAT. Payment plans may include surcharges
FAQ
I’ve signed up for the course. What will happen next?
You’ll receive a welcome email from me confirming your place on the course. I’ll also send you a questionnaire to help me learn a little more about you and your experience.
Where will the course take place?
The course will be 100% online. Live sessions will be held in Zoom. There will also be a community where you’ll be asked to share your homework tasks. You’ll receive a link to the community the week before the course starts.
How many people will there be on the course?
Normally there will be a maximum of twelve people on the course. For the live workshop sessions, you will be in smaller groups of approximately six.
You’re in Europe but I’m in a different time zone. Will I be able to attend the live sessions?
The time of the live sessions will be chosen according to the needs of the majority of participants and I will endeavour to choose a time that works for everyone. However, if you are not able to attend any of the sessions, they will be recorded for you to watch later.
How much does the course cost?
The current price for the core course (Flexible pricing option) is 350€ plus VAT. Mini-courses will be individually priced at 37€ each. The Inspiring Inquiries Pathway fee is 470€ which includes access to all mini-courses as they become available. The all-inclusive (Infinite) option is priced at 620€.
What is the Inquiry Implementation?
Inquiry implementation is a personalised observation package. It includes video observation* of either 3 x 60 minute lessons or 6 x 30 minute lesson extracts on which you will be provided with feedback and suggestions on how to improve as an inquiry teacher.
*You will be required to film your lessons and share videos with me. More detailed guidance will be provided if you purchase this package.
Are you a school?
The prices above are for individuals. If you’d like to run this training course for a closed group of teachers, please email me for a quote at michelle@michelleworgan.com.
OK, but what is inquiry-based learning?
Inquiry-based learning is a flexible and powerful learner-centred approach. It develops thinking skills and it can help children become socially responsible citizens as they grow up. Inquiry-based learning can blend seamlessly with other types of learning –project, play or nature-based learning along with direct instruction.
To find out more about this and other inclusive approaches, sign up to my newsletter. You’ll get one weekly email and you’ll be the first to hear about courses updates and resources as they go live.
You can also read more about Inquiry-based learning on this blog post I wrote for Cambridge English.
Want to try before you buy?
Why not try out one of the Inspiring Inquiries Resource Packs first?
Each pack gives you a step-by-step plan for the themed inquiry that will allow you to see how inquiry-based learning works with your learners.
Each pack also comes with the Quick Guide to Inquiry which provides a useful overview of inquiry-based learning.
