Developing English Language and Critical Thinking through

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Developing English Language and Critical
Thinking through Inquiry Learning in the Primary
GradesOpen Lecture Series, 5 April
2011Lauren Stephenson, Zayed University, Dubai,
UAE,Natasha Higman, Deira International School,
Dubai, UAE
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Overview

• Reports on initial findings from a case study
  using action research
• Evaluates the effectiveness of inquiry learning
  specifically for the development of language, and
  critical thinking in a grade 5 classroom
• Identifies potential implications for teacher
  leadership, professional learning and education.
  

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Zayed University

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Deira International School
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Methodology

• Case study using action research
• Data were collected through childrens journals,
  parent comments, participant dialogue,
  observations and documents
• Data were analysed using an inductive process of
  identifying themes.

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Participants in the Study

• DIS Year 5 Teacher (Natasha)
• Three DIS Year 5 pupils and parents (Zayan, Maya
  and Areesha)
• ZU teacher educator (Lauren)
• ZU teacher candidate (Latifa)

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The Children

• Areesha
• Hindu Indian born in Dubai
• English is her second language.
• Intrapersonal learning style
• Works better independently.

• Zayan
• Pakistani Muslim
• English as second language
• Linguistic learner
• Highly developed auditory skills.

• Maya
• Egyptian Muslim,
• Born in Sharjah
• Arabic first language
• Musical/kinesthetic learner
• Enjoys making things.

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What is Inquiry Learning?

• Engaging in problem solving through meaningful
  activity
• Posing initial questions, observing,
  experimenting, discussing, reflecting,
  constructing new knowledge and questions
• Using real life contexts
• (Bruce and Davidson, 1996).

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VIEW (Tuning in)OBTAIN (Finding out)YOUR
PLAN (Sorting out)ACTION (Taking action)GO
FURTHER (Going further)EVALUATE (Reflecting)
VOYAGE
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• Strengths of Inquiry
• Improves confidence and self esteem
• Promotes language learning and information
  literacy
• Develops students critical thinking skills
• Develops creativity and appeals to multiple
  learning styles and intelligences
• Teacher professional learning

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Challenges of Inquiry

• Shift in teacher role
• Assessment
• Motivation
• Management of extended activities
• Practical constraints of the learning context

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FindingsSuccesses
Greater confidence and improved self
esteem They definitely acquired confidence as
they became partners in the learning process,
communicating confidently with parents, teachers,
admin. staff and other children. It was really
great to watch them(Natasha). Language and
information literacy development Once the
children grasped the concept of inquiry learning,
they opened their minds to a new way of thinking
and a wealth of information at their disposal.
Their vocabulary broadened and as a result they
were using scientific terminology as part of
their everyday conversations(Natasha).
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FindingsSuccesses
Develops students critical thinking skills At
the start the children were not sure about their
work and if they were on track or not. They
didnt feel confident and so they would run to
the teacher and ask her to look at what they were
doing (Latifa). They seem to be thriving on
the new found freedom to think for themselves
and responsibility. Creativity My son also
became more creative to explore new ideas and
generate discussion to further clarify a concept
and adopt best practices and a healthy eating
life style (Zayans father).
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FindingsSuccesses
Appeal to multiple learning styles and
intelligences Lessons must contain pictures,
sounds, drama play, reading stories, watching
videos, and listening to tapes and my role is to
guide and facilitate students to use and learn
from these various materials. The best thing to
do is to find out each child learning style which
will enhance the learning process
(Latifa). Teacher professional learning I
personally feel this Unit of Inquiry (UOI) has
helped me better understand the learning process,
not just academic and the changing needs of
children (Natasha).
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FindingsChallenges
Shift in teacher role The smoothies were
squeezed by hand and the group discovered, only
after peeling 20 apples, apples didnt create
enough juice. So much mess and the smells!
Flavors to taste and sell for profit It was a
great success but we had four blenders on the go
in the classroom, clearing up the mess. There
was no order in the cafeteria. Admin came over
and commented on the need for order. .. So the
children reflected on the task and they came up
with ideas to get other children to line up in
the cafeteria, peel/prepare the fruit at home,
recording how much they were selling to know how
much fruit to buy. Recording most popular flavors
for the next time they did itIt was a challenge
to keep cool, let them figure it out for
themselves and still have some semblance of
order (Natasha).
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FindingsChallenges
Amorphous nature of course planning and the lack
of pre-determined assessment Sometimes I feel
almost unprepared ¾ Yr5 teachers have had no
previous experience of teaching a unit of
inquiry, and our planning was minimal. Of course
we knew the topic and the outcomes to cover but
there were no weekly plans (Natasha). Although
this way of assessing is far more informative and
covers not only knowledge but a number of 'life'
skills, parents still prefer the traditional
paper/pencil methods that produce levels. So how
will I assess what the children have learnt?
(Natasha).
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FindingsChallenges
Student motivation, pace, and coverage of
material With lots of time some of the children
became demotivated . If theyre not self
motivated they can get bored. At times I needed
to refocus and had the children produce action
plans so they could organize their own time and
they were held accountable. It gave me a bit more
control within the process (Natasha).   Sometime
s the unit was engaging but the material was not
challenging enough for some of them(Latifa).

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FindingsChallenges
Resource constraints We had to let children
go to the ICT room, the art room and various
other parts of the school unaccompanied
(Natasha). We only had one video camera to
record over thirty presentations
(Natasha).  
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View video (I1) results
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Implications Teacher Leadership,
Professional Learning and Education

The UOI approach is being implemented in a way
which allows for teachers in year teams to choose
which topic/themes best lend themselves to an
inquiry-based approach over the course of the
year. The school management believes that
without necessarily becoming a PYP school, DIS
has the opportunity to embrace many of the
features of the PYP, and develop its own brand of
child- centred education continuing to use the
National Curriculum of England and Wales as a
framework, and basing its learning and teaching
practices on the DIS principles of learning and
teaching. This approach should allow for a
balance of inquiry and learning- to- learn
practices with content outcomes (Natasha).
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Implications
My philosophy has changed. Teaching is not about
providing a child with an answer to a problem but
rather it is demonstrating techniques that the
children can use to find the answer for
themselves. That way they become better able to
think about the mechanics of learning
(Natasha). This unit of inquiry has changed my
teaching forever(Natasha). I feel more
equipped to support and demonstrate the skills
needed to implement inquiry. I am aware of the
probable challenges a novice teacher or a teacher
new to inquiry learning may face and how to
overcome them (Natasha).
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Implications
I focus much more on problem based learning and
inquiry approaches using technology and
multimedia. Not only do we talk about the
theoretical concepts underpinning them but we
apply the approaches in microteaching sessions.
Several peers are asked to act as plants where
they must act in ways that can thwart or disrupt
the normal procedural flow of the planned lesson.
Teacher candidates then must do their best to
respond to these unexpected events and then
reflect on how well the lesson was planned and
executed (Lauren).
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Conclusion

• Inquiry Learning
• Can provide students with the opportunity to
  achieve several inter-related learning
  objectives.
• Encourages students, teachers, parents,
  administrators and teacher educators to consider
  the teaching and learning process from the
  perspective of discovery and collaboration.
• Fosters the development of language skills
  through experience with an interconnected and
  broader scope of disciplines simultaneously.
• Provides opportunities for language learning, the
  acquisition of content knowledge, critical
  thinking and leadership development.
•  

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Lauren Stephenson, Zayed University,
Dubai, UAE,lauren.stephenson_at_zu.ac.aeNatasha
Higman, Deira International School, Dubai,
UAEnhigman_at_disdubai.ae