1 | Page INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING METHOD FOR INNOVATIVE ESL CLASSROOMS Noriah Ismail Suhaidi Elias @ Alias Deepak Singh Rafiaah Abu Abstract Inquiry - based learning is an innovative teaching method which emphasizes on the process of personal discovery by the learners. Inquiry is defined as seeking new information by questioning, whereby students are encouraged to develop their thinking skills and construct new knowledge through appropriate questioning techniques. In inquiry-learning learners are shown to be independent and proactive. They are thus encouraged to develop their potential by making use of the latest educational technology like the Internet. This paper highlights the fundamental concepts of inquiry-based learning. The inquiry model discussed in the paper gives a clear picture of the roles of both the educator as well as the learners in the context of inquiry-based learning classrooms. INTRODUCTION Inquiry is a mode of teaching and learning that is about questioning, hypothesizing, and discovering. I believe it is about a shift in attitude rather than an upheaval in curriculum and classroom (Bronwyn Bevan, 1996). "When educators see or hear the word "inquiry," many think of a particular way of teaching and learning. Although the element of “inquiry” is the fundamental element, It encompasses not only an ability to engage in inquiry but an understanding of inquiry and of how inquiry results in knowledge accumulation. Inquiry-based learning is an innovative learning method. Although it has only been introduced recently, it has become one of the most popular learning methods in the developed countries