ABSTRACT
Facilitating is performing any action that makes learning easier or more effective. Facilitating includes guiding, using organizers, monitoring and periodic checking, prompting, and explaining. Facilitating also includes removing learning barriers, such as social isolation in the classroom, helping English language learners with the language of instruction, or filling in learning gaps for students transferring from other schools. Whenever possible, facilitating is a helping hand that take over more than needed to encourage students' engagement and actions. In inquiry, the teacher is defined primarily as a facilitator of student learning and a partner in that process, and less as the source of all knowledge and authority at the front of the classroom. The use of dialogue for sharing, as well as support among students and between the teacher and students, is critical to achieving success with facilitation. Prompts can be given by a teacher or a peer, sent by text message, or provided electronically in an app.
