From Traditional to Practical: A Twist Using Inquiry Based Instruction in ESL Learning

Abstract

Continuing professional development is an indispensable mechanism for deepening teachers’ knowledge about content and developing teaching practices. Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) through Inquiry Based Instruction (IBI) is a program designed as a set of experiential learning where teachers have opportunities to integrate, reflect upon and develop their inquiry teaching performance (Alper, 2018). Inquiry is a multifaceted, student-centered, collaborative, constructivist activity aimed at improving students’ higher-order reasoning. It could be described as hands-on, problem-based, project-based as well as deductive and inductive approaches in teaching ESL. The researcher surveyed students using a modified questionnaire not only on the opportunity given to students to inquire and the frequency of their asking of questions but also the kinds and types of questions the teachers asked in the academic set-up. Using discourse analysis too, the researcher was able to examine the ways in which language was used, in the study, the teachers’ questions, in the real situation, the classroom. The investigated data revealed merged linguistics and sociology by taking into account the social and cultural context language was used to better understand an aspect in communication. Highlight of the study was to assess the possible twist of instruction from traditional to inquiry-based approach in ESL learning, where students inquire instead of the teachers asking questions.