(1) To initiate and develop in youngsters a process of question-posing (the
inquiry method);
(2) To teach a research methodology where children can look for information to
answer questions they have raised and use the framework developed in the
course (e.g. the concept of the Lifecycle) and apply it to new areas;
(3) To help youngsters develop the ability to use a variety of first-hand sources
as evidence from which to develop hypotheses and draw conclusions;
(4) To conduct classroom discussions in which youngsters learn to listen to
others as well as to express their own views;
(5) To legitimise the search by giving sanction and support to open-ended
discussions where definitive answers to many questions are not found;
(6) To encourage children to reflect on their own experiences;
(7) To create a new role for the teacher, in which he becomes a resource rather
than an authority. (See Hanley et al. 1970, 5)