THINKING SKILLS

'Are thinking skills taught or intuitive and can all learners require acquire these skills?'

'Are thinking skills taught or intuitive and can all learners require acquire these skills?'

Educators, both inside and outside education question whether thinking skills can be taught. Skills such as problem-solving, analysis, synthesis, creativity and evaluation were all at a period time perceived to be avoid sweeping and unsubstantiated statements. If true so the concept of these skills being taught would have been deemed virtually impossible (is it your opinion that it would have been impossible or are you stating the opinion of a researcher?) or respectively can only be contemplated for the more intelligent or advance learners. Facione, (1995) highlighted that Critical thinking is thinking that analyzes thought, that assesses thought, and that transforms thought for the better. If this is the case aren't all learners capable of analysing and assessing their thoughts no matter what level of their ability. Also through significant challenges and discovery can we not help all students develop and improve their thinking skills. Studies suggest that the possession of essential traits of a critical thinker require an extended period of development. I believe the key words within this statement are traits. Our acknowledgment, understanding and perception of the different critical thinking traits are vital in order to apply these traits to different concepts, topics or subjects. Even if these traits were applied to the most trivial, tedious and unchallenging of topics the outcome would still be consider as a demonstration or development of critical thinking. Dearing (1997) & North (1997) suggest that critical thinking skills can be taught and it is important to develop skills such as “learning how to learn” and “critical analysis” over a period time.

Schafersman.S '1991', highlighted that we do an excellent job of transmitting the content of our respective academic disciplines, but we often fail to teach students how to think effectively about the subject matter at hand. All educational disciplines have reported the difficulty of imparting critical thinking skills and in fact little is known with regards to which critical thinking skills and traits, if any, are being systematically fostered by teachers and learned or developed by students in the lessons (Beyer, (1987). The government considers that the development of critical thinking skills are among the elite priorities (better to say 'is one of the most important priorities') for education therefore a number of teaching strategies have been developed over recent years (you need to explain that this was a priority of the last government. Michael Gove does not agree with this focus on skills and would like to see a return to a focus on imparting knowledge rather than skills - google his speeches to get some quotes on this) .

I believe the strategies such as requiring pupils to identify, explore, prioritize, conclude, integrate, monitor, and refine can be embedded into any subject, and many can be facilitated through variety of subject specific modalities (what do you mean by 'can be facilitated through ...