Inquiry-based learning is one of the most powerful ways to spark curiosity and critical thinking in the classroom. Before we dive into practical tips, let’s take a closer look at what inquiry-based learning really means and why it matters for student engagement and success.
Beyond questioning strategies, this method connects to broader instructional goals like scientific sensemaking and the use of High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM). These approaches help students not only ask questions but also investigate, analyze, and apply concepts in meaningful ways.
What is inquiry-based learning?
Inquiry-based learning in the classroom starts with exploration, asking questions, and building understanding of the concept at hand. When teachers ask good questions, students get motivated and curious, and seek out new knowledge. New standards and assessments also require that teachers increase rigor and inquiry in their classrooms.
This strategy encourages students to think like scientists—observing, questioning, and making sense of phenomena. Often called scientific sensemaking, this process is essential for building critical thinking skills and preparing students for real-world problem-solving.
But how do you go about supporting inquiry? And what does an inquiry-based classroom look like? Read on to learn more!
How to support inquiry-based learning in the classroom
To support inquiry in your classroom, it’s important to not just ask questions but to ask effective inquiry-based questions that spark curiosity and critical thinking.
Here are nine practical inquiry-based teaching strategies and tips to help you strengthen your questioning techniques:
Plan and structure your questions
1. Make sure your questions are clear.
Plan your questions ahead of time so you can get the wording just right. When questions are clear, students don’t have to spend time figuring out what you mean and can instead focus on the answer.
2. Figure out your lesson objectives.
What do you want your students to learn in the lesson? Organize your questions logically so you can move students toward those objectives and support their learning.
Encourage higher-level thinking
3. Ask open-ended questions.
It’s way more effective to ask questions that encourage students to think. Ask them questions with more than one right answer instead of just “yes” or “no.” Ask, “what are your observations?” instead of a question like, “what color is the bug?”
4. Ask higher-level questions.
As you plan your questions, keep a Bloom’s revised taxonomy reference handy. Be ready with questions from the higher levels of Bloom’s. Asking questions from the lower levels on the fly is relatively easy, but it can be much harder to spontaneously come up with a good Analyze or Evaluate question. Preparation is key!
Engage all students in inquiry
5. Include everyone when you ask questions.
Engage all of your students in a whole class lesson. One strategy is to count the number of students with hands raised before calling on one, “One person has an answer. Two, three.” When students see that you want to know how many people have an answer before selecting one, more will join in.
6. Give students time to think.
Provide students with ample wait time so that they can process the question and formulate an answer. Mentally, count off 3-5 seconds at a minimum before taking an answer.
7. Don’t judge students’ responses.
Research (Rowe, 1974) shows that when teachers respond to students’ responses with negative or even positive comments such as, “Good job!” or “Not quite,” students will respond less often. Rather than offering judgment in your responses to students, reply with neutral comments like “Thank you.”
8. Encourage deeper thinking with follow-up questions.
A great follow-up question is, “What evidence supports your answer?” This prompts students to provide not only the “why” behind their answer but also specific evidence.
9. Ask the whole class to weigh in.
In addition to asking the responding student follow-up questions, it is beneficial to ask the rest of the class to weigh in with a hand signal. Use a thumbs up to indicate agreement, thumbs down for disagreement and a thumbs to the side if the answer is okay, but there is something missing that would allow for full agreement. With this strategy, all your students are thinking deeper about the answer given, not just the responding student.
Additional inquiry-based teaching strategies
- Start with clear learning objectives.
- Use inquiry-based teaching strategies like problem-solving and collaborative discussions.
- Incorporate real-world examples to make questions meaningful.
- Refresh your approach quarterly to align with new standards and assessments.
- Incorporate High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) that provide rich tasks and authentic contexts for inquiry.
- Promote investigations where students explore concepts hands-on, collect data, and draw evidence-based conclusions.
Monitoring and improving your inquiry-based teaching
Set goals for yourself and monitor progress. Begin with improving wait time, then work on eliminating judgmental comments, and finally add higher-level questions.
To track progress:
- Videotape lessons and analyze question types and wait time.
- If video isn't available, ask a colleague to observe and collect data.
As you refine your questioning strategies, consider how they align with HQIM and scientific sensemaking practices to ensure students are actively engaged in investigations and deeper learning.
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