Inquiry-Based Learning for Children from Disadvantaged Backgrounds—Let’s Get Started

The goal of the REACH project (Research-based Education for Advancing Children in Hardship) was to help improve teachers’ competencies in inquiry-based learning and to increase the participation of children from disadvantaged backgrounds in inquiry-based learning through inquiry-based approaches.

We assessed the needs of educators and prepared a package of methodological materials and resources that will enable teachers to involve children from marginalized communities in research to the greatest extent possible.

Activities:

Training sessions for educators in inquiry-based learning, methodological and mentoring support for teachers, enhancing the technical equipment of participating schools with specialized tools and devices, and developing a methodology and set of inquiry-based activities tailored to the needs of teachers who work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Results:

Strengthening teachers’ skills in inquiry-based and environmentally oriented education; creating a program that includes various forms of support for inquiry-based education.

Development of methodological materials and teaching aids tailored to students’ needs, as well as the provision of equipment to schools that are pioneers in inquiry-based education for children in disadvantaged communities. We developed the methodological materials and teaching aid kits in collaboration with educators.

The REACH project was funded by the Erasmus+ program, and we are implementing it in partnership with the TEREZA Educational Center.

Downloadable resources:

Methodological guide “All Children Can Explore” with worksheets (in Slovak)