Turn and Talk

Well there is no exact answer

You may only see glimpses of them in your classroom.

THe Nashville State Technical Community College has the simplest definition

1&2 Don't go with gut instinct they think carefully

3

4

5 clearly and logically

6 multiple points before drawing a conclusion

7 take risk
8. analysis, evaluation, inference, and deduction

They don't ALL do this ALL the time. However, but they will demonstrate them in combination ...sometimes the problem or issue will dictate the skills required.

Turn and Talk

Not a skill like tying shoes or learning how to write a complete sentence.

There isn't a set of skills that can bee automatically employed for a particular situation ie: context clues

there are metacognitive strategies that we can teach but they don't magically create critical thinking

Students must have knowledge and have had practice using that knowledge in order to effectively think critically

It takes time, patience, modeling, and more time!!!

promotes creativity
generates thinking
important to be successful
enhances language and speaking skills
crucial for self reflection

Force Fitting Using two objects or words that seem unrelated to the task or problem, or to each other, to create new possibilities or connections.

Scamper Applying a checklist of action words or phrases (idea-spurring questions) to evoke or trigger new or varied possibilities.
S - Substitute
C - Combine
A - Adapt
M - Magnify or Minify
P - Put to other uses
E - Eliminate
R - Reverse or Rearrange

In short, critical thinking is smarter thinking. It allows you to:

Spot useful details with critical thinking skills
Spot the most relevant and useful details among a mass of information.

Finding solutions through critical thinking
Find creative, workable solutions where others see only problems.

Spot flaws in arguments with critical thinking skills
Spot flaws in arguments that others accept without question.

Articulate opinions with critical thinking
Articulate opinions, problems, and solutions clearly and effectively.

Make faster decisions with critical thinking skills
Make quicker, more informed decisions, relying on evidence rather than “gut feel”.


Formulate authoritative arguments, becoming a powerful and confident persuader.

Put yourself in others shoes through critical thinking skills
Put yourself in other people’s shoes, and learn from different perspectives.

Take a stand for yourself with critical thinking skills
Take a stand for yourself and avoid being swayed by the uninformed views of other people.

Close reading is thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details or patterns in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, craft, meanings, etc.

Reading and writing both require us to think from multiple perspectives:
Clarify purpose

Ask and formulate?s

Distinguish relevant from irrelevant information

Make logical inferences

Identify significant concepts

Justified and Unjustified assumptions

Think with multiple viewpoints