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What do we mean by enquiry led learning?
I have started to explore enquiry led learning recently with my teams across the settings I lead, and we see it as a focus on our mindset, rather than simply procedural or practical. In this article and podcast episode I share my reading and work around this so far, with reflections on the start of our journey into this new approach for us.
Enquiry led learning and planning is a process and environment where the line of enquiry is supported by the adult but led by the children/student. The educator/facilitator sparks a line of enquiry either by using a question or a ‘hook’ within learning and then supports the children to investigate, explore and discuss not only their current knowledge but also adopt a programme of ‘co-researching’; allowing both the adult and the child to learn new things and broaden their skillset and knowledge base.
Enquiry led learning promotes and supports critical thinking and is a really good tool for scaffolding learning as it allows the answer to be open ended rather than prescriptive. It opens up possibilities as there is never one answer but instead a range of perspectives. It differs from the usual approach to following a standardised or pre-planned curriculum as this can be quite rigid and not hugely deep – it teaches what it needs to teach and you move on. Whereas with the enquiry led learning approach children can start to understand why they are learning and not only what they are learning, as well as making connections to previous learning and experiences, and taking their own learning further and deeper in the direction of their interest.
Environment is key
It is also crucial that the environment lends itself to an enquiry mindset and approach with high quality continuous provision and areas to show research, ideas and findings. We discuss this further in the podcast episode.
Stages of enquiry led learning
Usually within this process, there are 5 stages which really help shape the enquiry.
Exploring current knowledge:
The initial stage is all about talking and discussing what the cohort’s current knowledge of the subject, topic or theme is – for example if you were looking at different modes of transport and how the children arrived at nursery or school, you could ask ‘How many types of transport do you know?’, or ‘How did you get to school this morning and how else could you get to school?’, this opens up the line of enquiry to wider research for the children, and allows you together with the children to initially compile the relevant ‘data’, which can be a great learning opportunity for the children in gathering and recording their experiences through pictographs, bar charts and tally charts, which incorporates and introduces new mathematical skills. This stage provides a clear starting point for the area of interest/enquiry, ready to move forward further with this.
Asking questions:
The second stage is the perfect time to elaborate on those initial questions and encourage the children to ask questions too – ‘Why do people go on the bus?’, ‘Why can’t we fly an aeroplane to nursery?’. This prompts and creates a culture of learning within a safe and protected space where children feel that they can ask questions, and there are no wrong questions or answers. This is a time to question, wonder and reflect together. This time also gives the adult a great opportunity to really tune into what the children are interested in and if there are particular patterns in what they are asking or thinking about in more depth.
Finding out:
For me this is the most fun stage! Finding out the answers to those questions together – the term co-researching is really apt here as it is a perfect time to really engage in some inquisitive learning. There are so many ways you can find out the information for these questions – visit the library together and find a fiction or non-fiction book about the subject or topic, go out and explore the local community and discover the answer in the real world or watch some informative videos on the subject! There is a wide range of opportunities to delve deep into the enquiry which is very exciting!
Presenting findings:
It is time to showcase the information and learnings you have discovered together! Depending on how young the children are, there are a number of ways you can do this – from a working wall display to a floor book (more on these soon!). It is really about showcasing all the wonderful work you have done together! Involving the parents and families in the research findings and sharing the project and findings with them can really help develop the line of enquiry and cement a love of learning both within the school/setting and outside of it – the children may even carry on with the line of enquiry at home!
Reflections:
Summarising the enquiry and what has been learnt is a great way to end the project – or not! Your reflections may open up a secondary line of enquiry or a brand new topic! The whole enquiry could really highlight a key interest or help to close some developmental ‘gaps’, and once you’ve done that – the cycle can start again!
Floor books: What are they and why?
Floor books are really unique and fun ways of showcasing the learning, this links back to the presenting of your findings element of the enquiry based learning cycle; a floor book is a perfect working document to use for this! The floor book can contain art work, writing, children’s thoughts and feelings and a presentation of the work completed so far within the line of enquiry. We discuss this further in the podcast episode.
The link to Reggio Emilia
One of the biggest aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach is that it adopts an emergent curriculum model, which focuses on the processes rather than the prescriptive outcomes, and that is exactly how enquiry led learning and planning is driven. Reggio Emilia is driven by the connections made, concepts established and experiences which are all key foundations of any enquiry led planning and learning cycle. Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, was a key influence in the importance on child centred enquiry led planning. Within schools and settings that really foster this approach, the impact is evident not only for neurotypical but also neurodiverse pupils.
Is the practice neuro-affirming?
In short, yes! Enquiry led planning and approaches supports team work, welcomes ideas and suggestions at all knowledge levels and includes children’s voices from a range of topics and subjects without a pre-determined outcome or expectation. It allows children with all brain types to feel included, involved and informed.
Concluding thoughts
In conclusion, an enquiry led planning approach and a co-research mindset really lends itself to high quality practice and provision. It supports and nurtures collaborative learning, open ended questioning and fosters a sense of independence and a love of learning! More information can be found through schools that adopt these type of approaches and curricula, where some of them have become or are becoming centres of excellence and are putting themselves at the forefront of this type of practice.
Key takeaways
- Enquiry led learning and planning is child led and collaborative
- In this approach curiosity is key and really sparks, leads and extends the learning
- Enquiry led learning is neuro-affirming and allows all children to take part in the learning through a highly inclusive approach
- Enquiry led learning is very much an open-ended approach and fosters active learning; really supporting children and adults to be highly engaged together and take part in the enquiries as co-researchers.
Critical considerations
- Do you encourage children to ask questions and do you model an inquisitive mindset by asking questions yourself and wondering out loud?
- Do you adopt a lifelong learning approach by being open to learning new things and encouraging all adults to do so by modelling this to the children? This supports a co-researcher stance.
- Do you plan learning opportunities by taking into account children’s questions and enquiries?
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