Thoughts on teaching thinking: perceptions of practitioners with a shared culture of thinking skills education

Abstract

This article aims to outline the reported experiences of practitioners in a local authority in England where, since the mid-1990s, a high proportion of teachers have undertaken professional development in the field of teaching thinking skills. The article is based on the main findings from a questionnaire survey which was carried out among first, middle and high school teachers in this area. It was intended to explore their views on the use, benefits and challenges of teaching ‘Thinking for Learning’, a term which encompasses both the use of a range of thinking skills strategies and the Community of Enquiry/Philosophy for Children approaches.

The vast majority of respondents reported a range of positive effects on their pupils, including pupil motivation and cognitive, social and affective benefits. On the other hand, reported challenges mainly referred to a perceived lack of time and to some seemingly inherent difficulties in the teaching of thinking.

Conclusions from this study have the potential to inform professional development practice and policy far beyond this local authority's regional boundaries, and aim to contribute to the body of knowledge about forms of education that are based on dialogue and enquiry.

Keywords:

• dialogue
• enquiry
• Philosophy for Children
• professional development
• teachers' perceptions
• thinking skills

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Robert Peers for the use of data for this article, and Steve Higgins, Francis Jones, David Leat, and David Moseley for their advice.