Higher Order Thinking Skills H O T S

Higher Order Thinking Skills H. O. T. S A good teacher makes you think even when you don’t want to. (Fisher, 1998, Teaching Thinking )

Higher Order Thinking Skills Aims of workshop • To give an insight into Blooms Taxonomy • To explain Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) • To explain how teachers are using Blooms Taxonomy in the classroom • To provide guidance on how Blooms Taxonomy can be used at home • To visit the classrooms and see it action!

per day Questioning 0 5 8 AGE 46 65 Questions help children to learn through activating their brains. Answering different types of questions also helps to develop knowledge and understanding of different topics.

H. O. T. S Based on Blooms Taxonomy Bloom’s Taxonomy is named after Benjamin Bloom, a psychologist who in 1956 developed the classification of questioning according to six levels of higher level thinking. Bloom devised a taxonomy in order to categorise different levels of thinking. He researched what really made people think and what didn’t require much of the grey matter to be engaged. These thinking skills were further grouped into two categories, lower order thinking skills and higher order thinking skills.

Blooms Taxonomy Triangle

Blooms Taxonomy Triangle • Bloom’s taxonomy promotes effective questioning through a series of six key types of questions that encourage a deeper engagement with pupils learning (Higher Order Thinking Skills) • This approach allows individuals to consider the breadth of questioning they use

Taxonomy Triangle It is important that all learners are given appropriate opportunities to develop their thinking skills. These skills can be developed across a range of contexts including through more practical or applied learning opportunities: Lower Order Thinking Remembering involves such activities as recall and remembering Understanding might involve activities such as describing, explaining and summarising Applying requires the learner to use or apply their knowledge and understanding in different contexts

Higher Order Thinking Analysing requires learners to break down information and search for relationships Evaluating involves making an informed judgement about something. Activities such as comparing, contrasting and prioritising Creating happens when learners are required to generate new ideas through activities such as designing and inventing

Bloom’s Taxonomy I can use the information to build new ideas I can say what I think about the information and back up my opinion Creating How could you change the plot. . . ? Evaluating What would you say is the importance of…? I can break down the information to understand it better Analysing I can use the information in a new way Applying I can explain the ideas in the information I can remember facts about the information Understanding Remembering What evidence can you find to…? What questions would you ask of…? How could you say that in your own words…? Where does it say…? When/why/how did…?

Higher Order Thinking in the Classroom • • • Effective teacher questioning Pupils asking and answering different questions A focus on open questions Using colours and terms consistently Promoting an awareness of thinking levels to pupils

Watch the pupils in action…

Question Fans How would change the first chapter? Compare this book to the last one you read. Which is better and why? What one word/phrase describes the main character really well? What lesson did you learn from the story? What is this book about? Who are the main characters?

Class Displays All classrooms have a HOTS display…

Class Activities • Questioning in class using fans • Pupils asking HOTS questions to their peers • Activities linked to Blooms Taxonomy Early Level When studying Pirates through IDL, Primary 1 might design a new pirate ship and persuade people to join it First Level When studying Egyptians through IDL, Primary 3 might apply their knowledge of pyramids to make a model. Second Level When studying Victorians through IDL, Primary 6 might compare and contrast the lives of rich and poor children

Class Activities

Guidance for using Blooms Taxonomy at home. . .

Using Blooms Taxonomy at Home • Question through Reading • Take time to discuss the book and ask a range of questions before, during and after • Encourage children to ask you questions about the book • Guidance Booklet

Any Questions?