Inquiry Based Learning and Adult EAL Learners

It was great to have Jeff Hopkins, founder of the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry,  as a guest speaker in class. His description of finding out what learners are interested in and then using it as a vehicle – curiosity driving the learning – is very interesting. It’s what we are doing in our master’s program right now and it definitely motivates the right kind of learner to ask questions and dig deeper into what interests them. But it leads me to wonder: are adult EAL learners the right kind of learners to use inquiry-based learning with?

In my search to try to find an answer to this question, I stumbled upon an interesting video by John Spencer that references the Harry Potter Series 5^th book, Order of the Phoenix, with Dumbledore’s Army as an example of pure inquiry-based learning. Spencer describes Dumbledore’s Army as a school within a school, with Harry as ‘guide on the side’. He says it is a messy process, but the students learn a lot because they don’t waste time reviewing what they already know. This made me think of the countless times half of my class has been ready to move on to more difficult tenses – such as the past perfect, while the other half was still struggling with present perfect. ‘Guide on the side’ style would be great to help every learner at their exact point of need, but is it practical? A teacher can only get around to so many students… and isn’t a lot of time wasted for students while waiting for their turn for guidance?

4 Phases of Inquiry

The video references Pedaste et. al’s (2015), 4 phases of inquiry, and I began to think about them in relation to my program.

1. Orientation – becoming aware of key ideas (students to our LINC program always receive orientation to the program where they do a needs assessment – particular to their own language needs)
2. Conceptualization – questions are generated (as students in our program improve their language skills, they are usually able to begin to ask more questions about English – sometimes asking beyond what they can comprehend)
3. Investigation – exploration, experimentation, interpretation (as these students continue to improve their skills, and especially if they are strong in their first language, they can experiment with language and interpret meanings with more ease)
4. Conclusion – the video only mentions conclusion, but I wonder if language learning ever really does have a conclusion? (perhaps the conclusion is different for each student – when they conclude their studies to pursue another path.)

This may be a stretch, but when I type them out here, I feel these phases seem to represent a language learner’s complete journey with learning the language – not just one experiment or project, but the entire process.

Levels of Inquiry

Spencer’s video then breaks down Banchi and Bell’s (2008) levels of inquiry from teacher-centered to student-centered:

1. Confirmation Inquiry – teacher teaches concepts, creates questions and models the process, students follow along
2. Structured Inquiry – teacher creates initial questions and shares procedures, students collect, analyze, and draw conclusions
3. Guided Inquiry – teacher provides initial questions, students process and experiment on their own
4. Open or True Inquiry – students formulate their own questions, design their own experiments, collect their own data and share their own findings

Again, just from my experience, it seems the level of inquiry that a language teacher would be able to use would depend on the level of language the student has.  A lower-level student would be able to try confirmation or structured inquiry, and a higher-level student would be able to attempt guided or open. I think it would also depend on the student’s background and lived experience with school in their prior country. I have had students who resist doing presentations, group work, and self or peer reflections because it isn’t done that way where they come from. So many factors are at play.

In an attempt at my own open/inquiry based learning, I’ve tried to make my first H5P flashcards for a language teacher to determine which level of inquiry they may want to attempt with their students. Flip through the cards to analyze your class and find an inquiry level.

Real-World Application

The LINC program that I teach in focuses on real-world tasks for learning and assessment. I think that this holds great potential to encourage learners to ask questions, explore, and engage with content that helps them learn English. By dealing with real-life scenarios and authentic materials, students can see the practical application of their language skills, making learning more relevant and meaningful.

When I run my own H5P test to see the inquiry level my current students may be able to handle, I get guided inquiry. Some ideas for how to attempt guided inquiry with my class may include:

Problem-Solving Scenarios

Activity: Present a real-world problem that students might encounter in their daily lives, such as finding a job, renting an apartment, or planning a trip. How:

• Divide students into small groups.
• Ask them to brainstorm questions about the problem.
• Provide resources (e.g., websites, brochures) to find answers.
• Have each group present their findings and discuss possible solutions.

Research Projects

Activity: Assign students a topic related to their interests or career goals and ask them to conduct research. How:

• Students formulate research questions about the topic.
• They gather information from various sources (articles, videos, interviews).
• Students compile their findings into a presentation or written report.
• Encourage a peer-review session where students ask each other questions and provide feedback.

Inquiry Circles

Activity: Organize students into inquiry circles, where each group explores a different aspect of a broader topic. How:

• Choose a central theme (e.g., cultural traditions, technology, environmental issues).
• Each group selects a sub-topic and formulates questions.
• Groups research their sub-topic and share their findings with the class.
• Combine the findings to create a comprehensive understanding of the central theme.

Debates

Activity: Host a debate on a topic relevant to the students’ experiences or interests. How:

• Divide students into teams for and against the topic.
• Each team researches their position and prepares arguments.
• Hold a structured debate, with teams presenting their arguments and responding to questions.
• After the debate, discuss the different viewpoints and vocabulary used.

Conclusions

I have tried some of these activities with my classes over the years. Some attempts being more successful than others. I think what it comes down to for language learners is complex. An EAL learner’s level, lived experience, and open-mindedness all play roles in how successful they may be with inquiry-based learning. The group dynamics also matter – as teachers know they do with every class. So in the end, I think that the more open language teachers are to trying inquiry, the more they can experiment and encourage their students to give it a try.