What is critical thinking?
It is the ability to evaluate information to determine whether it is right or wrong. To think critically about an issue or a problem means to be open-minded and consider alternative ways of looking at solutions.
BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Building critical thinking skills happens through day-to-day interactions as you talk with your child, ask open-ended questions, and allow your child to experiment and solve problems. Critical thinking is a learned ability that must be taught.
Here are some tips and ideas to help children build a foundation for critical thinking:
- Provide opportunities for play. Building with blocks, acting out roles with friends, or playing board games all build children’s critical thinking.
- Don’t intervene immediately. Kids need challenges to grow. Wait and watch before you jump in to solve a problem.
- Ask open-ended questions. Rather than automatically giving answers to the questions your child raises, help them think critically by asking questions in return: “What ideas do you have? What do you think is happening here?” Respect their responses whether you view them as correct or not. You could say, “That is interesting. Tell me why you think that.”
Ask why: get them to provide justification, explanation, purpose or motivation.
- Ask for clarification: Can you say what you mean by this.
- Ask for more: Can you say more about that
- Ask for an example or counter-example: Can you give me an example?
- Ask for conditions: Can you say what it would depend on?’