Learning How To Think

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Learning How To Think Teaching Critical
Thinking Skills in the English Classroom
Presented by Helen Heinrich, PCV
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What is Critical Thinking?
Use your brain!

• Definition From www.criticalthinking.org
• Critical thinking is that mode of thinking
  about any subject, content, or problem in which
  the thinker improves the quality of his or her
  knowledge by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and
  reconstructing information.
• Ask, Think, Create

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For Example

• Context Clues
• Language learning
• Process of elimination
• tests
• Summarizing and synthesizing information
• Reading comprehension
• Prepare for university
• Problem Solving

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I want YOU
To think critically!
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Context Clues find the meaning without a
dictionary
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Context Clues
"Seems to know as much about the inside of my
kitchen as I do myself!" thought Mr. Baggins, who
was feeling positively flummoxed, and beginning
to wonder if a most wretched adventure had not
come into his house. - Adapted fromChapter 1An
Unexpected party,from The Hobbit, By J.R.R.
Tolkein
Flummoxed most likely means
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Flummoxed (adj) very confused
http//www.totalfilm.com/news/comic-con-09-peter-j
ackson-talks-hobbit
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How to Practice

• Practice questions
• Meaningful sentences
• Bad Bilbo was flummoxed.
• Also Bad Flummoxed means very confused.
• Good She was so flummoxed by his unusual
  behavior, she could not speak.
• Your turn Use strong in a meaningful sentence.

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Multiple Choice When you have eliminated the
impossible...
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Multiple Choice
I ___________ very early yesterday morning by a
loud noise.
A. wake up B. woke up C. was put to
sleep D. was awoken
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(No Transcript)
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Elimination
I ___________ very early yesterday morning by a
loud noise.
A. wake up B. woke up C. was put to
sleep D. was awoken
Wrong Tense Wrong Voice, right verb Not Logical,
right voice
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Which Is different? Why?
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Summary and Synthesis
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Summarize, don't plagiarize!

• Answer Wh questions about the text
• Who/what is it about?
• Where/when did it take place?
• How did it happen?
• Find the main point
• the moral of the story
• The news item
• The theme of the poem

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(No Transcript)
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Synthesis

• Why does the text matter?
• Personal opinion
• Compare and contrast with other ideas/texts
• Retell the story, or make up your own

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Let's Practice!
What is happening? Why might this be funny?
Write three sentences about what happens next.
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Mistakes are made..

• Mistakes are for learning.
• Ask why the incorrect answer was given.
• Go through the process again.
• Indicate that a mistake was made, but make them
  find the correct answer.
• Ex red spelling, blue article, circle
  missing word, etc

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Let's Sum Up!

• True of False Critical Thinking is not important
  for English teachers.
• Critical thinking is a.) a rock band, b.)a
  process of selecting the right answer c.)really
  difficult to teach
• Guess the riddle The greatest computer you will
  ever know, you carry me with you where ever you go

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For More Information

• More on Critical thinking
• http//www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-
  of-critical-thinking/411
• The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1934
• Test Preparation http//www.learn4good.com/langua
  ges/spec_english_toefl.htm
• Brain Teasers http//www.brainbashers.com/
• My email heheinrich_at_gmail.com

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Any Questions?