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Webinar Series 2015
Promoting critical thinking How critical thinking can support pupils in
their ability to question and think for themselves.
4.00pm - 4.45pm
Thursday 14th May 2015 http://www.interfaithexplorers.com/webinars
www.interfaithexplorers.com
• Supported by UNESCO• Helps pupils understand the world around them &
respect cultural and religious diversity• Offers high quality cross-curricula resources to use with
pupils at Key Stage 2 and those embarking on their Key Stage 3 transition
• Supports core personal and social skills development as well as self-directed, exploratory learning
• Promotes universal core values & the development of ethical thinking
• Designed to compliment RE and PSHE teaching, alongside citizenship education
Webinars• Support teachers in their work around
interfaith dialogue and RE; as well as PSHE and Citizenship learning in schools
• Offers a space for teachers to come together and think about issues arising from classroom practice in these areas
Webinar Presenters• Claire Clinton
o An experienced teacher within EYFS, Primary and Secondary education
o She has over 20 years of classroom experience, and 16 years of advisory work at a national and local level
o For the past 8-years has been the Religious Education Advisor for the London Borough of Newham
• Lisa Nayloro An experienced teacher at Gallions Primary School in
Newham since 2001 o An Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) in Philosophy for
Children (P4C) in Newham since July 2005. o She runs P4C courses, as well as INSETs and training for
school, in both Newham and across the country.
Session objectives
• Understand the benefits of training pupils in critical thinking;
• Provide teachers with ideas to promote critical thinking in the classroom;
• Demonstrate how critical thinking supports interfaith activities between pupils.
What is critical thinking?
‘reasonably and reflectively deciding what to believe or do. Critical thinking means making reasoned judgements. We use it to critically judge the quality
of something.’
Robert Ennis Emeritus Professor of Philosophy of Education
University of Illinois
Thinking critically requires
• 2 things: o A willing dispositiono The ability or skill to think
Critical thinking: Socratic approach
• Humans can distinguish between facts, opinions, feelings, judgements and inferences, as well as objective and subjective ideas;
• Socratic dialogue has no fixed formula or system other than: questions must follow incremental logical steps and probe deeper and deeper into the issue;
• It is really about digging deeper into an issue, to uncover what lies beneath the surface of an idea or an opinion.
Questions to ask• Questions that:
oOffer clarification and refinementoHelp identify any assumptions that
have been madeoAre looking for reasons and evidenceoExplore consequences and implicationsoSeek out viewpoints and perspectivesoAre about the question!
Clarification and refinement question card
• Why did the writer say ….?• What did the writer mean by …..?• Did he mean …. or …?• Can you give me an example of …?• What does the image/phrase ….. mean to
you?• Can you explain …?• How did you think …. would affect …..?
Reasons and evidence question card
• What evidence do we have to support that view?
• How do we know …?• Show me where in the text it says …..• What are your reasons…?• Why do you think …. happened?• How can you be sure that you are right?• Is that enough evidence to say that ….• Can you put it another way…?
Viewpoints and perspectives question card
• Are you sure that ….?• Is there a different way of looking at that? • What if …?• If you are right about that then why …..?• What would someone who disagreed with you
say…?• What are the similarities and differences
between our views/ideas…?• Are there any weaknesses in that
theory/argument?
Identify any assumptions question card
• What assumptions do you think the writer makes ….?
• What assumptions have we made?• Can you explain why you think he
assumes that?• Why do you think he said that…?/used that
phrase?• Can we look at that in a different way?
Consequences and implications
question card• Does what you say fit with what we have
already learnt about Islam?• If he believes that ….. then what difference
would it make?• If you are right about that then …..• Would that make any difference?• What are the implications of ….• What would be the consequences of that…?• How could you test your theory…?
Questions about the questionquestion card
• Do you have any questions about the questions…?
• What is your general answer to the question?• Do we need to record more than one view?• Could we split this question up to make it
clearer? • How has our discussion so far helped us
answer…?• Who can summarise the points we have made so
far…?• Can we now answer the question…?
How does this help in school?
• Helps facilitate interfaith conversations and thinking is developed because:o It is an open approacho It allows pupils to question informationo It allows pupils to distinguish and think
about facts and opinionso It gives pupils a chance to problem solve
Practical Ideas
Concept Line Good Thing,
Bad Thing
Odd One Out
Playful Ponders
Connections
Wrap up
Any questions?
Contact usFor further information about the webinar series and
how Interfaith Explorers can support you visit:
www.interfaithexplorers.com
or contact
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE Chief Executive
Maimonides Interfaith Foundation [email protected]
