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.
THE BETA COURSE IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS
NEXT COURSE DATE: OCTOBER 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.
Out of stock
| Course dates: | October-November TBC |
| Price: | 370€ plus VAT where applicable |
| Bookings open: | September |
Pay a small deposit of 60€ to secure your place now.
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 design 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.
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 beta course is 290€ plus VAT. This price will only be available for the first edition of the course, starting May 2023. You’ll also get FREE access to all future mini-courses. The current cheapest price for the whole Inspiring Inquiries Pathway is 500€.
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.
