Steps to Success » Thinking Skills
When learning a language, it’s great to focus on the four key skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. But in order to make really good progress, it’s essential to add one more skill to the list: thinking. When I speak to the parents of my students, I always give them ways to help their children practise thinking in English. This is a great way to… Read More
What is most important in your child’s education? Grades? Extra-curriculars? Sports? All of these are, of course, relevant in a child’s school career. However, in our rapidly changing world, it is hard to deny the importance of educating a generation of life-long learners who can think critically and independently. Critical thinking skills are what set top students apart. This means being able to think themselves,… Read More
Critical thinking helps learners analyse new information and solve difficult problems. It’s the key to long term educational success. When I help my students prepare for their exams, parents often ask me: ‘Why can’t my child learn from their mistakes?’ This is a great question, and understanding the answer makes it clear why critical thinking is so important to students. Often, children are overwhelmed with… Read More
When children start reading, they begin with the alphabet and then move on to phonics, blending, sight words, etc. Many people see fluent independent reading as the end point of this journey. However, for me, the main reading skill of a child at this stage is still developing, which is the true story-engagement that comes with higher order thinking. Once children are confident with building… Read More
