Integrating Active Learning Approaches in Language non-digital, plays an important role in the utilization of these

active learning approaches. With the ubiquity of technology

Learning Lesson Outcomes
tools that learners are exposed to, it is the teacher's role to
At the end of the module, the students should be able to: ensure the appropriateness and relevance of such tools in the
development of learning competencies. Aside from learning
 discuss the concepts of the different learning approaches language skills, it is also important to train learners of their
in language teaching and learning; responsibilities as they engage in digital learning activities and
 discuss how information and communication technologies enable them to discriminate digital tools that are useful in
will help develop and present language lessons using the enhancing their knowledge on the content of investigation.
different active learning approaches;
 brainstorm on the possible products or outputs that will
serve as an evidence of learning of the developed learning
Inquiry-Based Learning and Research-Based
outcomes of the learning plan using Inquiry-Based
Learning, Problem-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning Lesson Outcomes
Learning;
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to:
 and integrate active learning activities in the development
of language learning plans.  discuss the salient features of inquiry-based learning and
research-based learning and their application to the
attainment of language learning competencies and
Introduction
language learning outcomes;
Language learning encompasses the development of the  analyze how technologies for teaching and learning
macro skills such as reading, writing, listening, speaking, and languages can be maximized in inquiry-based learning
viewing. The concern of the language teacher is how to teach and research-based learning;
these skills in a holistic manner as these skills complement  and state some performance standards from the
each other when used by people in communicating. Curriculum Guide that can employ inquiry-based learning
and research-based learning.
Is it possible to target more than 2 or 3 of the macro skills in
one learning activity? The answer is yes. However, this largely Excite
depends on the approaches used by the language teacher in
To be able to attain the above-stated lesson objectives, do the
facilitating the development of learning competencies in the
following exercises step-by-step:
language classroom. One way to achieve this end is the
utilization of active learning approaches. Active learning Step 1: The KWL Chart
approaches are characterized by learners' engagement in
activities that are geared towards the generation of new Familiarize yourself with the concept of KWL chart. Analyze
knowledge or making meaning to an existing knowledge the contents of the charts and think of how you can use this
while developing other 21" Century skills (such as chart in facilitating your language lessons.
collaboration, media literacy, critical thinking) in the process.
Step 2: Starting with an Essential or Big Question
Four of the recent active learning approaches introduced to
Since inquiry-based learning usually starts with essential or
enhance the teaching learning process are Inquiry-Based
big questions that elicit varied answers from the respondents,
Learning (IBL), Research-based Learning, Problem-based
think of a question that you would like to ask your students
Learning, and Project-Based Learning (PBL).
relevant to a specific lesson in your language class.
These learning approaches are designed to give more depth
Do this in a group with five (5) members. Some example
and breadth in the learning of content in the K to 12
questions may be:
Curriculum. While these approaches are meant to provide
opportunities for active exploration of content, each of these a. Why do we need to learn how to listen?
approaches has a distinct characteristic that needs to be
b. Why is there a need to be engaged in public speaking?
considered by teachers in the realization of learning
competencies especially in language teaching. Knowing the c. How do children with special learning needs communicate?
distinctions among these active learning approaches will help
the language teacher in deciding what approach to adopt. d. How do we know the language struggles and stories of the
people of long ago?
Central to active learning approaches is the construction of
framing questions that will guide the learners in their
investigation either on a specific topic or unit. Investigations
What is one main characteristic of a young children that helps
become more meaningful when these are related to real life
them to know about the world they live in? Write your big
experiences or real world issues or problems.
question on the KWL chart.
As learners become active participants in the process of
Step 3: Finding Out What We Know
generating new knowledge, technology whether digital or
Eliciting from your collective lived experiences as pursue their investigation. Using this in the language
groupmates, provide an answer to the big question you classroom can facilitate the development of communication
identified. Record your answers through filling in the first skills as it involves activities such as writing questions,
column of the KWL Chart. In this step, each member is deliberating on ways of finding answers to curricular
expected to actively participate to fully answer the KWL questions, and presenting outputs as evidence of inquiry
chart. As you do the activity, writing and speaking skills can among others. This approach encourages students to work
be observed to be demonstrated by each member. together in accomplishing their task.

This activity can be done at any level in your language classes The process of inquiry starts from positing a question aligned
in the future. You need to allow some students like in the pre- to a content standard in the K to 12 curriculum for English.
school level to draw their answers in the chart if they cannot Investigation proceeds using various sources of information
write their answers in verbal form. and presentation of outputs of the students using a
productivify tool. Depending on the required output, the
Step 4: Finding Out What We Want to Know
assessment tool that will be used should be given to the
To allow you to freely explore about what is in store in the students before the inquiry commences.
world around you, fill-in the second column of the KWL
When to Use
chart. By answering the second column, you will be able to
think of other possible information that is beyond the Chisholm and Godley (2011) purport that inquiry-based
knowledge that you have about the big question. This activity instruction (IBI) offers an especially appropriate approach to
contributes to the development of inquisitiveness of students. learning about language variation, identity, and power since
IBI can provide students with opportunities to learn about
Step 5: Finding Out the Answer from Experts
current issues in sociolinguistics through sharing and debating
To be able to learn better about the topic and big question, get on a personal experience with language from multiple
on searching for an answer to the questions from reliable perspectives.
sources. Sources may refer to your language teachers or from
Types of Inquiry VIU (2020) presented four types of inquiry
the library resources (digital or printed). Conduct interview
that can be used in facilitating classes. These are:
with some teachers or other human resources who may give
an answer to the question or get information from your library 1. Structured Inquiry - This lets the students follow
resources. Record your interview data or literature review the lead of the teacher as the entire class engages in
data. one inquiry together.

Step 6: Finding Out What We Have Learned 2. Controlled Inquiry - The teacher chooses topics and
identifies the resources that the students will use to
Finally, organize the results of your gathered data and write
answer questions.
your answer in Column 3 of your KWL chart.
3. Guided Inquiry- The teacher chooses topics or
Nature of Inquiry-Based Learning
questions and students design the product or solution.
Inquiry, in its simplest definition, is a process of asking
4. Free Inquiry- Students are allowed to choose their
questions. This has spurred the enumerable developments that
own topics without any reference to a prescribed
we continue to enjoy in our society today. It continues to usher
outcome.
the study of so many fields that 'enable various scientists and
experts to provide solutions to emerging issues affecting the Role of the Teacher
society in general. In the classroom, in particular, the process
The success of IBL largely depends on the careful planning of
of inquiry is a basic learning activity that every teacher is
the teacher in relation to the curriculum. The language teacher
expected to facilitate. The development of the ability to ask
needs to look into the learning competencies that can be
among learners is basic in the age of the Fourth Industrial
satisfied by a simple inquiry or more complex inquiry. He/she
Revolution.
controls and prepares the topic for investigation and guides the
According to the Future of Jobs Report during the World learners by setting the questions to be explored. Learners are
Economic Forum, the top three of the ten skills needed in this allowed to design their own way of investigation and present
age are complex problem solving, critical thinking and their outputs using technology tools that are afforded to them.
creativity (Gray, 2016) which all start from the process of When technology is coupled with IBL, a gateway to
asking. information is opened and students can have access to
information at anytime and anywhere. It is assumed that the
Inquiry-based learning (IBL) as an approach essentially
teacher is knowledgeable of the sources of information and
involves tasks requiring learners' active participation in
whether the learners have access to these sources.
finding answers to curricular questions. The questions can run
from very specific simple questions to more complex When designing an IBL, the teacher has to consider the
questions in relation to the curriculum. Learners are given following fields proposed by Avsec and Kocijncic (2016):
opportunities to engage in self-regulated activities as they
1. Prior knowledge and capacity
 2. Context Learners require meaning, from experience.

3. Content and learning materials

4. Process

5. Strategy of reactions and behavior

6. Course outcomes

Role of Technology

The internet or the World Wide Web offers lots of platforms

for mining information. It has become the most sought out
source of information because of the variety of tools that
abound. Language is no longer a barrier in one's search for
information. Depending on the unit of study in a language
curriculum, there are many free educational websites that are
available for the language teachers and learners. Due to the
vastness of sources of information from the WWW, any
language teacher who is using IBL has the responsibility to
direct learners to websites that provide the proper information.
The technology tools that are made available for the learners,
whether online or offline, should support the object of inquiry
which is aligned to the learning competencies in the K to 12
Language Curriculum.

It should be noted that the use of technology in IBL is just one

of the many other sources of information in the process of
inquiry. This does not exclude the other resources, human and
non-human, in gathering information. However, learners are
undeniably familiar and probably more adept in exploring the
internet. Guiding them in locating online resources that are
relevant in developing their research and communication skills
will let them learn the importance of using educational
resources in an explicit and implicit way.

Experience

To be able to apply inquiry-based leaning in your field of

specialization, do the following steps:

Step 1: Reading Curriculum Guide in English or Filipino

Subject

Identify a grade level from the K to 12 Curriculum and read

the Curriculum Guide for English or Filipino of this level.
Focus your reading on the different language competencies of
every language lesson.

Step 2: Identifying Language Competency for IBL

Find learning competencies in the chosen Curriculum Guide

that are suited for an IBL. Determine the type of inquiry that
you will be using. Note them down on the table provided.

Step 3: Developing Core Questions

Create core question/s about the competencies that learners

might be asked to answer.