| How can the teaching of thinking skills benefit underachieving pupils? |
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Research taster
Underachieving and struggling pupils respond positively to the use of thinking skills (reasoning strategies) in their learning.  Pupils using thinking skills approaches benefit from improved reasoning and problem-solving skills, for example being able to identify and use the correct methods for organising information and recognising more than one way to tackle and solve a problem.
Your evidence
It may be helpful for you to consider how far you promote the use of thinking skills amongst the pupils in your classroom. You might like to consider the following questions in relation to your class, thinking specifically about any pupils who are underachieving or struggling: • Does your classroom environment encourage group work on problem solving activities? Could you do more to enrich group working situations, such as changing pupils’ seating for group work? • Do you set pupils tasks which they can approach from a range of angles challenging their existing ideas and beliefs? • Do you provide specific feedback to pupils on why certain approaches are successful and others not when tackling a problem? • Are pupil’s achievements acknowledged and valued? Does every pupil experience at least some success to reinforce their self-belief and commitment to learning? Moving forward Having identified the type of learning environment you have created in your classroom you may find it beneficial get support from more experienced colleagues. You could draw on colleagues experience to help develop a strategy for making the best use of thinking skills with your underachieving pupils.  Find out moreFor more information about the CASE and CAME cognitive acceleration and thinking skills project at: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/thinkingskills/6553/6562 Find out more about thinking skills at the TRIPS website: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/research/themes/thinkingskills/?digest=all |
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