Thinking skills | Centre for the Use of Research & Evidence in Education (CUREE)

Using the "thinking frames" approach to improve pupil engagement and attainment in science

Aim: For pupils' development of resources and approaches to challenge, engage and motivate pupils in science, improving verbal and written explanations in science, improving thinking skills and pupils understanding of the nature of science and raising attainment in science across all Key Stages. Achievement; Pedagogy; Problem solving; Science; Thinking skills

Can thinking skills offer a framework to support young children's comprehension in literacy?

Aim: The study sought to explore the extent to which young children of 5/6 years of age could be encouraged to articulate their thinking and the way they perceive themselves as learners. In particular the researcher aimed to investigate whether the use of thinking skills strategies within a Year 1 class could improve the childrens comprehension of literacy texts and encourage a wider participation within the class members through speaking and listening.

Enhancing student engagement

Aim: To investigate the impact of physical theatre skills on a group of Year 8 students identified as needing to develop their non-verbal reasoning skills further and to document the processes and problem solving strategies Year 8 pupils use when attempting to learn a new, creative physical skill.

Debriefing: Pupils' Learning and Teacher Planning

Aim: To investigate what and how pupils learn from debriefed lessons and how teachers plan and support such lessons.

An investigation into pupils' strategies for mental mathematics

Aim: To raise pupils attainment in mental calculations in mathematics through developing their ability to articulate the strategies they use.

Collaboration and speaking and listening in the primary classroom

Aim: To explore methods of enhancing collaboration skills with key stage 1 pupils and to improve speaking and listening skills with pupils.

Engaging primary school learners through a creative curriculum

Aim: At Wheatfield we wanted to tackle the underachievement of our more able children by reorganising our curriculum to motivate all learners and create opportunities for more challenge.

Rubrics: a self evaluation tool that supports children's learning

Aim: Rubric is an explicit summary of the criteria for assessing a particular piece of student work, plus levels of potential achievement for each criterion.

Key Stage 4 literacy programme: is it improving written examination responses in English examinations?

Aim: The project aims to investigate whether or not a specifically designed literacy programme for Key stage 4 students was having any impact on the quality of their written responses in English examinations.

Effective questioning: stepping-stones to meta-cognition?'

Aim: There were two main, linked, aims of this project. The primary aim was to investigate the role of effective questioning by the teacher in a History class. The second aim explored the usefulness of this meta-cognitive strategy in enhancing higher-order thinking skills in the classroom. These are the skills that characterise higher achievement at Key Stages 3 and 4 (11-16 years of age).