TEKS Talk - SLA Inquiry Research image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Inquiry and research: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

Pídales a los estudiantes que trabajen en grupos pequeños para hacer una lluvia de ideas que incluya preguntas sobre un tópico o un texto; la idea es producir información que pueda usarse en un texto, proyecto o presentación sobre una investigación. Mientras eligen sus tópicos, recuérdeles a los estudiantes que piensen en el quién, qué, dónde, cuándo, por qué y cómo. Los estudiantes también pueden hacer una lluvia de ideas independiente de las preguntas anteriores para considerar información que podría ser apropiada para incluirse en un proyecto o presentación; los estudiantes, además, deben consultar materiales de referencia para clarificar preguntas que tengan.


Further Explanation

Los estudiantes deben ser capaces de adentrarse en el proceso continuo de recopilar y examinar información de diferentes formas y con más eficiencia. Los estudiantes deben ser capaces de formular preguntas que guiarán su trabajo de investigación. La clarificación de preguntas es un proceso continuo a lo largo del trabajo de investigación.

Students should learn that informal and formal inquiries require different types of questions. Formal inquiries require an established process and typically include a specific goal, such as arriving at a new conclusion. For example, a formal inquiry into which other planets might be habitable might ask, “What planets have a composition most similar to Earth?” An informal inquiry does not require the same complex process as researching a formal topic does. The goal of informal inquiry is often to gain context for something or begin exploring a new topic in a general way. For example, students investigating a simple topic, such as favorite sport among their peers, may generate questions such as “What is your favorite sport to play?” or “What is the first sport you learned to play?”

Research

McManus, M. S., & Theamwong, L. (2015). Enhancing fourth grade students' writing achievement through purposeful experiential learning: an action research study. Universal Journal of Educational Research. 3(12), 997–1000. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1083248.pdf

Summary: Fourth grade students had a writing task that involved improving the school. It required students to call on community, agency, area business, and high school student support. Students wrote letters applying for grants, asking for materials, and requesting additional support. Student orally presented their prewriting, and these presentations proved to be an effective method for the revising and editing of their written work.