Free Resources
Thinking Framework | Gardner's MI Quiz | Templates | SCS Language Cards | PD Articles
Thinking Framework
This poster is intended for the classroom wall and will complement the teacher’s use of the innovative teachers’ companions.
 |
 |
Why use this poster?
Too many students offer superficial or inappropriate responses to questions posed by teachers. The reason for this poor response is often because students don’t understand the intent or focus of the question or activity. The intent or focus of a question or activity posed by teachers can be explained in terms of the six cognitive outcomes as explained in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Therefore, the major purpose of this poster is to educate students in the six levels of Bloom’s taxonomy of the cognitive domain so that they understand the intended outcome of questions or activities posed by teachers and at the same time become aware that there are appropriate thinking tools for each of the six levels of thinking.
Foundation Thinking Skills of REMEMBER (Encyclopedia), UNDERSTAND (Dictionary) and APPLY (‘How To’ Manual)
1. Explain to students that generally (though not always) teachers start any unit or section of work by giving basic information. In other words, teachers will act as an Encyclopedia, offering facts, data and information. Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students Remember basic information. Explain that as a teacher, we will employ the skills or defining, listing, naming, labeling, stating, remembering etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they remember certain information, such as ‘list the three major part of the ….
2. Often students will be puzzled by the meanings of technical language we employ as teachers, therefore we then act like a Dictionary (offering meanings of words, concepts, explaining ‘cause-effect’ and ‘reasons for’ (e.g. eating vegetable and fruit). Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students Understand the information we are offering. Explain that as a teacher, we will employ the skills of explaining, summarizing, interpreting, outlining etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they understand certain words, concepts, events, ‘cause-effect’ and ‘reasons for’ such as ‘explain why we should all learn about healthy eating habits’.
3. We usually pass on information in order to use or apply this. The next level is Apply and therefore as teachers, explain to your students that we will act like a ‘How To Manual’ to show them how to do something with that information, such as writing a letter to the editor, welding two pieces of metal, solving a mathematics problem, executing a hook shot in basketball, dancing without hurting your partner etc. Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students know how to apply learnt information in similar or novel situations, that they can transfer principles and skills, that they can Apply this information elsewhere. Explain that as teachers, we will employ the skills of calculating, demonstrating, drawing, writing, solving, throwing, singing, playing an instrument etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they can apply this information elsewhere.
Higher Order Thinking Skills of ANALYZE (Sorting Tray), EVALUATE (A Judge) and DESIGN (Thomas Edison)
4. Once students have mastered certain information and can apply or use this, we then ask students to think more deeply about this by analyzing the information. Explain to students that we will act like a Sorting Tray, breaking up an issue, event or problem into as many component parts as possible. Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students know how to think more critically by analyzing the information or proposal. Explain that as teachers we will employ the skills of comparing, contrasting, examining, debating, investigating, exploring and in fact conducting deeper research into any topic etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they can think more deeply on a topic.
5. Once we have a deeper understanding of a topic or issue thanks to the analysis completed, we are now in a position to act like a Judge, passing judgment based on the materials sorted at the analyze level. Together, these two levels constitute ‘critical thinking’. (Critical means to choose or select or to judge). Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students know how to think more critically by Evaluating the information or proposal. Explain that as teachers we will employ the skills of deciding, ranking, selecting, justifying, choosing, recommending etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they can make sound decisions.
6. The final level is when we as teachers act like Thomas Edison. After all, it was Thomas who knew a great deal about lighting systems (Foundation level) and who analyzed all existing lighting systems (wax, coal, gas, oil etc) and judged them to be smelly, weak, dangerous, unreliable and unhealthy, and therefore decided to Design something much better – the incandescent light bulb! As teachers we will act like Thomas by creating new ideas. Why? Explain that our education department insists that we have proof that our students know how to think more creatively and that as teachers we will employ the skills of designing, modifying, proposing, improving, embellishing etc and that we will use these same or similar verbs to assess students to prove that they can make act creatively.
The ITC Thinking Skills Framework In Action
Teachers can ask students to listen carefully to the task (a question or an activity) and ask them to decide which icon they are expected to act like. For example:
- ‘How many letters are there in the alphabet?’ asks them to act like an Encyclopedia, giving facts. (REMEMBER)
- ‘Why do we need road rules?’ ask them to act like a dictionary, offering reasons for and basic understanding. (UNDERSTAND)
- ‘Work out the length of the hypotenuse’ is acting like a ‘How To’ Manual (APPLY).
- ‘Let us discuss the recent film’ is acting like a Sorting Tray, identifying and looking into the major component parts. (ANALYZE)
- ‘Which of these two proposals would you recommend?’ is acting like a Judge (EVALUATE)
- ‘Develop a campaign to persuade the public to take more exercise’ is acting like Thomas Edison, always improving or inventing. (CREATE/DESIGN)
The poster educates students into the use of appropriate verbs, sentence starters and most importantly, the use of appropriate thinking tools which can be found in the innovative teachers’ companion. We sincerely hope that this poster will lead to even better classrooms.
Remember!
'Asking a good question is no guarantee that you will get a good answer’
‘Many students underachieve because they do not really understand the task’
We hope that the six icons will help to dispel confusion and lead to better focus.
A Note on Ownership and Motivation.
It is very difficult to have motivation for anything if one does not have ownership over the material. In terms of teaching with Bloom’s taxonomy, here is something to think about.
When the teacher is dealing with the three foundation levels of Remember, Understand and Apply, just about all the material imparted in the classroom is ‘owned’ by the teacher as it came from the teacher. The students do not own it as they are generally repeating this information. If most or all of the lesson/s are aimed at the Foundation levels, then it is difficult for the learners to feel truly motivated. The foundation levels are very important as nothing will happen at the higher order if this is not taught and learnt well.
However, it is what happens next that is so important because this is where student ownership and motivation really starts. It is only when the teacher asks students to discuss, investigate, debate, explore, examine etc (Analyze) and then decide, select, choose, rank, recommend, defend (Evaluate) and later improve, modify, create, embellish, formulate, plan etc (Design) that students are able to manipulate the foundation material to generate their own ideas, opinions, inventions/designs. This is where they have ownership and along with this comes the motivation and engagement of all or most learners.
Therefore designing lessons and units of work which contain all levels of the cognitive domain will likely lead to more balanced learning where students will be challenged leading to ownership and motivation.
Gardner's MI Quiz
Download Below:
Gardner's MI Quiz (82 KB)
Background:
Howard Gardner, of the Harvard School of Education, introduced the Theory of Multiple Intelligences in 1983, in response to the widespread practice in education and industry of defining and measuring intelligence very narrowly.
Process:
Gardner originally had seven intelligences, but many practitioners now place the intelligence "Naturalistic", in the model. The eight different intelligences are:
| Intrapersonal | Self - smart | Verbal / Linguistic | Word - smart |
| Naturalistic | Nature - smart | Logical / Mathematical | Number / reasoning - smart |
| Picture / Spatial | Picture - smart | Interpersonal | People - smart |
| Body / Kinaesthetic | body - smart | Musical / Rhythmic | Music - smart |
Others might include spiritual intelligence and moral intelligence.
The model highlights that for educators, students have different natural strengths and preferred learning styles. This ultimately determines their dominant behavioural and working styles in the classroom. Research suggests that students mostly have three strong learning styles. This has the obvious teaching and learning implication of ensuring that lessons are delivered across the range of multiple intelligences.
Another Multiple Intelligences model is the VAK model, developed in the 1920's by psychologists and childhood teaching specialists. The acronym stands for:
| Visual - | seeing and reading |
| Auditory - | listening and speaking |
| Kinaesthetic- | touching and doing |
This is not a replacement for Gardner's MI, but rather an alternative way of viewing multiple intelligences theory. It is a model that many teachers use in the delivery of lessons.
Use the ITC Multiple Intelligences Quiz to determine which MI each of your students responds to most effectively.
By giving students the opportunity to decide which multiple intelligences they wish to employ, as well as delivering lessons across a range of multiple intelligences, we cater for the diversity of learning styles in our classrooms, which gives a better chance of successful learning experiences for all.
Learn More:
The following websites provide a fascinating insight into Howard Gardner the man and his work as well as a range of practical hints in the application of Multiple Intelligences in the classroom.
| WEBSITE | COMMENT |
| Howard Gardner | Howard Gardner's home page, particularly the section on Multiple Intelligences, provides access to a range of material. The articles on Multi-media and Technology are particularly useful. |
| Dr Thomas Armstrong | Educator and psychologist Dr Thomas Armstrong provides an interesting take on Multiple Intelligences. |
Templates
To assist you in better incorporating a range of Thinking Tools in your lesson plans, ITC Publications provides the following templates. Feel free to access these as often as you wish.
The Y-Chart and, as an extension, the Split Y-Chart, is a very effective tool to go beyond and beneath the obvious,leading to greater understanding. Useful for Analysing, Evaluating and in Design.
The real value in both these tools is in preparing a brainstorm on a topic to elicit a comprehensive range of responses leading to a better grasp of the issue. It is a pre-product stage providing ideas for the final product.
The SWOT Analysis is the ideal analytical tool for examining any proposal, practice or organisation. Good thinking depends on considering a proposal for an extended period of time, applying real structure and employing a number of different perspectives. For this reason, the SWOT Analysis should be used frequently.
Traditionally Strengths and Weaknesses are regarded as factors internal to the topic under consideration, while Opportunities and Threats are considered to be external.
This tool is extremely useful as a structure for a report.
The Problem-Solution strategy is excellent for analyzing the underlying cause of a problem or issue in the first instance, then generating solutions and determining the best of these. A great framework for an investigative assignment.
PCQ (Pros, Cons, Questions) is an attempt to apply objectivity when considering proposals, ideas or suggestions. The simple table will assist students to make sense of their deliberations.
Pros equates to benefits, strengths, plusses, advantages of the idea, from as many points of view as possible.
Cons deals with all the negatives, opposing points of view, disadvantages and weaknesses of the idea.
Questions offers an opportunity for questions, curiosity, probing and "what ifs?"
ICON Prompt is an excellent strategy to engage students in debatable topics. It is a great scaffolding technique that enables students to explore key elements of an issue and therefore to see it from different perspectives and in far greater depth.
If suitable, a fifth icon can be added to represent "How does this affect me?" This will better link the topic to a student's own experience.
KWHL. A wonderful metacognition tool, that requires the students to think about What they Know (K), What they want to Know (W), How they will find out (H) and What they have Learned (L). It is one of the most effective strategies for engaging and motivating the learner, especially at the start of a Unit.
Remember that it is not necessary to use the grid formation. This may constrain your students when they have considerably more to add to a heading.
The Elimination Draw strategy assists students in establishing the core or most important element, factor, value or item from a list under consideration, with the aid of a tournament draw.
In Round 1 it is not critical where your students place each item: just ensure that they separate their first few ideas, as these are often their best.
This tool encourages the skills of attribute listing, comparing and contrasting, negotiating, listening to the other point of view, justifying, substantiating and many more.
The Decision-Making Matrix strategy is highly effective for comparing and contrasting (analyzing) and then selecting or deciding (evaluating) between two or more items, proposals, plans, texts, ideas, characters or films. This strategy is excellent for critical analysis during a unit but also for use as a culminating activity for assessment purposes.
It is important that students realise that effective evaluation often involves the use of criteria. Students can always submit this matrix as a draft of their work to demonstrate proof of research and as a check that they have the necessary structure to complete the assignment.
SCS Language Cards
For a detailed explanation and download links please go to the Silent Card Shuffle page
PD Articles
Coming Soon...