Thinking Skills
Developing a ‘Thinking Vocabulary'
Suppose…
Imagine…..
Try to predict…..
What would happen if…?
I'm puzzled, my question is……
Why do you think..?
I can't decide because….
One criticism is……
Think of another solution…
How can we find out…?
What do you mean by that..?
What would happen if….?
Can you give me an example…?
What are your reasons…?
Can you put it another way…?
What is the conclusion?…Why?
THINKING SKILLS FRAMEWORK
For Planning and Assessment
Area |
Abbr. |
Thinking Skill / Number |
Information - processing
|
Ip |
1 - Locating and collecting information
2 - Sorting information
3 - Classifying
4 - Sequencing
5 - Comparing and contrasting
6 - Analysing relationships |
Reasoning |
R |
1 - Giving reasons for opinions and actions
2 - Making deductions
3 - Explaining thinking
4 - Making judgements and decisions informed by reasoning or evidence |
Enquiry
|
Enq |
1 - Asking relevant questions
2 - Posing and defining problems
3 - Planning what to do
4 - Researching
5 - Predicting outcomes
6 - Anticipating consequences
7 - Testing conclusions
8 - Improving ideas |
Creative thinking |
Ct |
1 - Generating and extending ideas
2 - Hypothesising
3 - Applying imagination
4 - Looking for alternative outcomes |
Evaluation
|
Ev |
1 - Evaluating information
2 - Judging the value of what is heard, seen and done
3 - Developing the criteria for judging the value of their own or others work |
Thinking Across the Curriculum
Sequencing, ordering information
Sorting, classifying, grouping
Analysing part or whole, comparing and contrasting
Making predictions, hypothesising
Drawing conclusions, giving reasons for conclusions
Distinguishing fact from opinion
Determining bias, how reliable is the evidence?
Generating new ideas, brainstorming
Relating cause to effect, designing a fair test
Problem solving, thinking up different solutions
Planning, testing solutions
Making decisions, weighing up pros and cons
THE ROLE OF THINKING IN THE LEARNING PROCESS
• Learning, thinking and understanding are inextricably linked.
• In depth thinking about an issue is not a guarantee that we will understand and learn it, but it greatly enhances our chances.
• Thinking is the gateway to understanding.
• Thinking involves a series of skills that can be taught and learnt.
• Few pupils readily associate thinking with lessons.
• Thinking is a cognitive activity and not a low level task. It equips the learner to go beyond the information given, to deal systematically yet flexibly with novel problems and situations, to adopt a critical attitude to information and argument as well as to communicate effectively.
• The extent to which children are challenged to think and helped to understand is directly related to the nature of the activity they are involved in. open-ended activities enable learners to impose meaning and make judgements.
• Learning is an active not passive activity, therefore there must be direct learner involvement.
Thinking in general encompasses three areas:
SKILLS: available and effective tools and techniques that the capable thinker employs in order to solve problems.
DISPOSITIONS: tendencies and preferences that inform, direct and motivate our thinking. These dispositions motivate us to apply thinking skills; indeed a person may have many thinking skills but not be disposed to use them.
UNDERSTANDING: the flexible 'possession'of knowledge, which allows the application of that knowledge in new situations. A person may know something yet not understand it, that is, not be able to use this knowledge in shifting contexts.
Quality thinking is efficient. critical and creative.
|
