What distinguishes an A or B student from a C or D student?
What distinguishes an A or B student from a C or D student?
Here is one simple answer: critical thinking. The student who can engage in critical thinking gets the A or the B. The student who can’t gets the lower grade.
The book “Critical thinking” takes this position as its starting point and shows students how to recognise and evaluate arguments. It stresses that an ability to analyse arguments will help students in their understanding of the material in the subjects they are studying.
For illustrations, it uses such topics as environmental issues, citizenship and medical dilemmas. It is therefore the ideal resource for class discussions.
It is always tempting to turn away from a book of this nature which does not directly address the curriculum – but for me there is something here that I want to put in my lessons – something that transforms the lessons from the assimilation of mere fact into the application and use of the materials.
The central vision of this volume is that learning and developing skills in critical thinking is very much like learning to drive.
Most learner drivers ache for that time when they can be on their own, out on the open road. But learning the techniques of driving can seem to many people unnecessarily repetitive and slow. To others it can seem bewilderingly complex, emphasized by its curious terminology of gas pedals, biting points, and cockpit drills.
In the same way, learning the skills of critical thinking might seem initially rather strange. Some new terminology needs to be mastered, and the methods used to get you to progress from one place to another might, at times, seem difficult to absorb. In addition, putting everything together, like with learning to drive, can seem to be quite demanding.
But, as you build up your skills one by one, as you practise using each one, and then as you practise putting them together, you will find that, like learning to drive, suddenly you’re doing it, suddenly you’re thinking in a new way, looking at what people write in newspapers and books, what people say on television and radio, in a new way. You’ve become a Critical Thinker.
This book is organised in a way which will help students build up your skills one by one. Each skill is introduced with examples to illustrate it, and then followed by exercises in which you can try out the skill. All of the exercises are followed by a discussion as to why one answer is right and why the others are wrong.
The book can be purchased as a photocopiable master and used in different departments within the school, or put on the school network so that everyone may access it from there.
Critical Thinking by Roy van den Brink-Budgen; ISBN: 978 1 86083 191 1; Publisher’s Ref T1084EMN
Sample pages can be viewed on http://www.pdf.firstandbest.co.uk/english/T1084.pdf
The volume is available as…
Photocopiable report in a ring binder, £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
CD with school-wide rights: £15.95 plus £3.95 delivery
Both the Ring Binder and the CD £22.94 plus £3.95 delivery
Prices include VAT.
You can purchase the volume or book or CD…
By post to First and Best, Hamilton House, Earlstrees Ct., Earlstrees Way, Corby, NN17 4HH
On the phone with a school order number at 01536 399 011
By fax to 01536 399 012
On line with a credit card at http://shop.firstandbest.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=54&products_id=154