ENABLING THINKING
These teaching and learning indicators are not independent teaching methods or learning tasks. They represent a complex set of interrelated possibilities to enhance learners’ engagement and involvement in developing their abilities to think. On-task behavior may not be sufficient to engage and involve learners in thinking. Involvement in the development of thinking abilities suggests more in-depth cognitive activity than being at task. Involvement in thinking may be evident in group activities and in lengthy interactions among learners and/or the teacher and learners. Involvement in thinking and developing thinking abilities require prior knowledge. Thinking is enhanced when learners can process and construct new knowledge in ways that are meaningful to them and when essential elements of knowledge are given emphasis (IV.D.5).
In enabling thinking, the teacher uses methods that actively engage and/or involve learners in ample opportunities to generate, structure, restructure, integrate, transfer, and transform knowledge. Learners are encouraged to think actively by the teacher’s use of wait time, questioning strategies, and extending responses and ideas. Home learning assignments that engage and/or involve learners in developing their abilities to think might also be planned (I.E.1). Indicators in this domain are applicable to all contexts and may be addressed over time. All indicators may not, however, be evident in a single lesson. In some teaching and learning activities learners may not be actively involved in the development of higher order thinking abilities.
TEACHING AND LEARNING COMPONENTS
V.C. Problem Solving and Creative Thinking
