Guided InquiryAn Effective Instructional Strategy

1. The instructor is prepared with a list of questions, as well as differentiation

and modifications to such questions, that are designed to carefully lead
students to develop targeted content knowledge and understanding.

2. The instructor provides a targeted burst of direct instruction providing

necessary scaffolding.

3. The instructor provides students with their grouping configuration for the
guided inquiry exercise.

4. Students are asked the guided inquiry question, which they consider
individually for a short time.

5. Students then discuss the guided inquiry question in groups, and reach a
consensus on the answer to the question. The instructor monitors group
progress and provides additional scaffolding and differentiation as
necessary.

6. Students discuss the question as a class, with individual groups offering

their solutions to the problem or answer to the question.

7. The instructor provides additional direct instruction and a new guided

inquiry question is asked of the students. In this way, the students are able
develop content ideas along the lines of their own thinking.

8. The instructor may change group configurations and employ flexible

grouping strategies to maximize student access to course content.