1

Teachers build questioning power.

Which means that we as teachers

Learn and apply knowledge about different types of questions, especially using those that require deeper levels of thinking.

So that our learners

Need to think indifferent ways to answer our questions and are stimulated with thought provoking questions.

Prioritise this if you want your learners to:

Be engaged in lessons and learning.
Be stretching their thinking muscles through thought provoking questions.
Be more thoughtful as they go about their learning.
Be thinking in different ways and at higher levels.
Have the language to ask their own range of questions.

2

Thinking language frameworks are taught and used.

Which means that we as teachers

Choose what we will use to help learners understand the different types of thinking & questioning, make it explicit to learners and model & use the language consistently.

So that our learners

Can make their thinking visible with a structure & language to describe, plan and think about their thinking.

Prioritise this if you want your learners to:

Have the language to talk about and describe their thinking.
Have the language to plan out complex learning activities.
Be able to inquire effectively into topics they are interested in.
Have an understanding of thinking that they can take with them throughout their lives.
Be aware of the types of thinking they are strong in and need to work on.

3

Thinking strategies & routines are taught explicitly.

Which means that we as teachers

Break down new thinking strategies and routines for learners and give them multiple chances to practice as they learn.

So that our learners

Can develop deeper thinking skills, learn how they can improve their thinking and build a toolkit of thinking tools for life.

Prioritise this if you want your learners to:

Know how to carry out specific types or skills of thinking.
Slow down and think things through systematically, rather than rely on their first thoughts or opinions.
Have a range of tools to choose from as they move through.
Value being able to improve their thinking and understand how they can do so.
Identify their strengths and priorities in thinking.

4

Collaborative thinking is a key part of the programme.

Which means that we as teachers

Design and plan meaningful tasks for small groups to collaborate on, that will get them thinking in different ways.

So that our learners

Can use the power of collaboration to solve problems, make informed decisions and create new ideas & products.

Prioritise this if you want your learners to:

Understand the power of collaboration for complex thinking tasks.
Be thinking for a specific purpose or context that they are interested in.
Learn how to solve problems, make informed decisions and create new ideas & products.
Create plans for how they will carry out their thinking.
Apply their collaborative skills in real-life-like activities.

5

Learners are engaged in metacognition.

Which means that we as teachers

Teach learners metacognitive strategies and give them time to use them.

So that our learners

Are more aware of themselves as thinkers, how they can improve and where else they can use their thinking.

Prioritise this if you want your learners to:

Be more self aware of themselves as thinkers.
Become more thoughtful in their thinking and learning.
Be able to plan out what they will need to think about as they work towards a complex purpose.
Understand what they can do to improve their thinking.
Identify opportunities to apply their thinking elsewhere.

What if thinking is a key capability?

Deep Thinking

The Five Elements

1

1

Teachers build questioning power.

Which means that we as teachers

So that our learners

2

2

Thinking language frameworks are taught and used.

Which means that we as teachers

So that our learners

3

3

Thinking strategies & routines are taught explicitly.

Which means that we as teachers

So that our learners

4

4

Collaborative thinking is a key part of the programme.

Which means that we as teachers

So that our learners

5

5

Learners are engaged in metacognition.

Which means that we as teachers

So that our learners

What if there were resources to make thinking a key capability?

The Approaches

Information

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