The Critical Thinking Department

“For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons
than you do by being right for the wrong reasons.”
Norton Juster

What is Critical Thinking?

We understand Critical Thinking (CT) to be purposeful, self-regulatory judgement which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgement is based.  CT is essential as a tool of enquiry.  As such, CT is a liberation force in education and a powerful resource in one’s personal and civic life.
American Philosophical Association 1990

What do students gain from Critical Thinking?

Students are encouraged to develop skills of:

• Considering arguments and evidence;
• Questioning;
• Reflection;
• Scepticism;
• Comparison;
• Seeking alternatives;
• Identifying consequences.

These dispositions are also encouraged to be:

• Actively thinking;
• Truth seeking;
• Open minded;
• Analytical;
• Systematic;
• Intellectually brave;
• Inquisitive;
• Mature in judgement.

Why and to Whom is Critical Thinking Taught?

Critical Thinking is infused throughout the School curriculum, and is part of every subject.  However, students benefit – at key points – from having Critical Thinking skills explicitly developed.

Years 7 to 9:

• As part of the Gifted & Talented Programme, students of Honours Set English are taught one lesson a week of Critical Thinking.

Year 12:

• All A Level students study for and sit the OCR AS Critical Thinking exam.

Gifted & Talented

Critical Thinking is part of the Gifted & Talented provision at Warminster School.  While selectively targeted at Key Stage 3, the provision of the course also benefits gifted Year 12 students.

Critical Thinking Skills develop skills for gifted students in:

• Unlocking advanced content;
• Depth of perception;
• Awareness of consequences;
• Creativity of thought;
• Meta-cognition, making thinking explicit;
• Analysis of arguments;
• Synthesis of arguments and data;
• Evaluation of evidence or results;
• Clear and precise written and verbal expression;
• Active learning;
• Evaluating their own writing for clarity, precision, depth, & fairness;
• Understanding the logic behind experimentation and hypothesis.

Year 7 to 9 Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking is taught at Key Stage 3 to students in English Honours Set in Years 7, 8 and 9.  They receive 1 period per week of Critical Thinking, instead of the 1 period of literacy development provided for the other classes.

In Key Stage 3 the primary resource for teachers is “Critical Thinking: A Programme for Able Key Stage 3 Pupils” by Casey and Koshy, 2004.  These resources were written and tested as part of the Brunel University’s Able Children Education Centre.

Aims of the Three Year Key Stage 3 Programme of Critical Thinking

The aims of the Critical Thinking Department for KS3 are to:

• Enrich, challenge and extend the learning experience of high ability students.
• Provide content and skills which will allow students to access higher order thinking skills in life and in other academic subjects.
• Prepare students for GCSE study.
  

Learning Objectives of Critical Thinking at Key Stage 3

The scheme of work enables students to:

• Understand that arguments can be constructive
• Appreciate that being critical is not about being negative, but is about building up the ability to evaluate their own and others’ beliefs and that this, too, is a good thing.
• Construct powerful and coherent arguments.
• Present arguments by seeking evidence and considering the credibility of sources and organisations.
• Persuade others with well constructed arguments.
• Assess the strength of arguments.
• Reflect and reason.
• Acknowledge and identify assumptions.
• Draw valid conclusions.
• Communicate ones viewpoint effectively.
• Differentiate between fact and opinion.

The Range of Activities at Key Stage 3

Lessons include a range of lessons with the following features:

• Activities are set in contexts which appeal to pupils in the 11 to 14 age range.
• Some activities are designed to teach specific skills in Critical Thinking, while others encourage the development of Critical Thinking processes and dispositions.
• Pupils are required to produce a range of tangible outcomes.
• Teachers are encouraged to be flexible, and to customise the resources to match the students interests, abilities and needs.
• Outcomes of lessons include case studies, role play, and debates.
• Activities encourage analysis and reflection.
• Most activities require students to carry out their own research or create an interest in finding out more about the topics.
• Provide a cognitive challenge to able pupils.