Teaching Thinking Skills Across The Middle Years

This book presents a practical framework for the teaching of thinking skills and problem-solving with children across Key Stages 2 and 3. Using examples of topics from the National Curriculum, teachers are presented with classroom techniques and activities, which systematically develop these skills. While accommodating the needs of all learners, the book caters for the need to differentiate learning activities to extend the more able learners. Included are suggested activities for developing thinking and problem-solving skills relating to the National Numeracy Curriculum, the National Literacy Strategy and the National Science Curriculum. The book also includes activities to support the development of thinking and problem-solving skills in information communication technology (ICT), models of successful practice, and photocopiable activities. The skills and strategies suggested all derive from real classrooms and teachers and as such are practical and useful. There is clear guidance on adopting certain teaching techniques, lesson planning and organization. This book will be useful for teachers and headteachers working at Key Stages 2 and 3, all SENCOs and Advisory Teachers.

This book helps teachers incorporate problem-solving and thinking skills into the National Curriculum at the Foundation Phase and Key Stage 1, in line with QCA and DfES recommendations. It presents a range of activities for children aged 4-7 years, all of which have been tried and tested in classrooms. The ideas are cross-referenced with the Learning Objectives of the National Curriculum, and are enhanced with samples of children's work. It provides sections on the core subjects of literacy, numeracy and science, and ideas for project work across the curriculum. This book is aimed at teachers at the Foundation Phase and Key Stage 1. Teacher trainers, student teachers, teaching assistants, parents and all those working in early years settings will find it equally useful.

This book presents a practical and universal framework for the teaching of thinking skills and problem-solving across the primary curriculum, using examples of topics from the National Curriculum, classroom techniques, and tried-and-tested activities which systematically develop pupils' thinking and problem-solving skills. While accommodating the need of all learners to develop effective thinking skills, the book also caters to the need to differentiate learning activities to extend the more able learners. Written by a team of teachers who recognize the day-to-day problems that face their colleagues in the classroom, this accessible, jargon-free book will be welcomed by teachers, SENCOs and ABCOs alike.

In this third volume of It's All About Thinking, the authors focus on teaching and learning in the middle years, transforming principles into practices, and exploring such questions as: How can we help students develop the competencies they need to become successful learners? How can we create pathways to deep learning of important concepts? How can we engage and support diverse learners in inclusive classrooms? Nicole, Linda, and Leyton explore these questions and offer classroom examples to help busy teachers develop communities where all students learn, focusing on the big ideas in middle years education today.

Packed with examples and tools, this practical guide prepares teachers across all grade levels and content areas to teach the most critical cognitive skills from the Common Core State Standards. Discover a doable three-phase model of explicit teaching, guided practice in content-based lessons, and authentic application in standards-based performance tasks that will strengthen students’ ability to learn across the curriculum.

Help children of all learning styles and strengths improve their critical thinking skills with these creative, cross-curricular activities. Each engaging activity focuses on skills such as recognizing and recalling, evaluating, and analyzing.

The explicit teaching of thinking skills is acknowledged as an important element in developing students' thinking capacity. This famous book gives teachers a manageable framework for empowering students with thinking skills - the ability to reason, to make informed judgments, to critically evaluate information and to think creatively. Through well directed modules on methods such as Six Thinking Hats, brainstorming, questioning techniques, thinking keys, graphic organisers, Blooms and problem-solving, teachers are able to gain familiarity with a range of `thinking' tools, develop strategies for their use and incorporate them into their classrooms.

Is thinking a matter of intelligence or a skill that can be taught deliberately? Can thinking be taught directly as a curriculum subject in schools?