This informal CPD article ‘How to foster critical thinking skills in secondary school students’ was provided by UES Education, specialists in international university and school admissions, working with top schools across the UK and Europe to provide a bespoke service for those who want the best possible application support in the UK.
While UK students choose specific subjects for GCSE and A-Level, critical thinking skills underpin them all. According to research on critical thinking (1), the term can be defined as ‘analysing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it,’ and involves questioning, referring to relevant outside information, and collaborating to find solutions.
It involves communication and a reaching outside oneself when considering an issue (1). Not only does thinking in this way help students engage with their GCSE and A-Level subjects, but it is also important in the workplace.
Critical thinking is also crucial at university and in navigating today’s world, where we can be faced with a constant barrage of information. This article covers how secondary school teachers can help students build their critical thinking and the benefits of these skills within and beyond the classroom.
How to help students build critical thinking skills
There are several ways teachers can encourage students to be analytical and think for themselves. Teachers can start by cultivating a classroom environment focused on curiosity rather than just getting "the right answer." When students feel safe being wrong or unsure, this allows them to explore ideas, ask questions, and build the fundamentals of critical thinking. By asking questions, teachers can also help with this. Asking students to explain their thinking emphasises the process, rather than the outcome.
Building self-esteem is equally vital. Less confident students often feel they can only succeed through rote memorisation, making them hesitant to share how they arrived at a conclusion or offer a unique opinion on a text. But by setting up a classroom where everyone’s input is welcomed and encouraged, and all students feel valued for their unique contributions, teachers can instil confidence in pupils.
Additionally, universities (particularly US universities) often value students with experience navigating difficult conversations, or those in which there are clashing views. Allowing your classroom to be a place where these types of conversations can happen under your guidance will prepare them to be strong communicators.
Regardless of subject, teachers can also encourage students to analyse arguments, evaluate evidence, and solve problems. The following are some subject-specific examples:
- STEM: Evaluating the reliability of data and understanding the difference between correlation and causation.
- Humanities: Bringing a critical mindset to sources, identifying biases, subjective interpretations, and/or omitted information in historical records.
- Arts & PE: Reflecting on and critiquing performances such as discussing why a dance was choreographed a certain way or why an athlete used specific plays.
Critical thinking in our digital world
With many students doing the majority of their reading online, teachers should encourage students to seek out diverse perspectives and reflect on source reliability rather than taking social media or podcasts at face value. Today’s students also—whether teachers support it or not—make use of AI tools. Teaching them how to critically evaluate a response from AI tools, rather than banning the tech, will help students learn to navigate a world that is increasingly inhabited by AI technologies. Students should be aware that Large Language Models (LLMs) can give incorrect information, and that verifying information gleaned through AI in another way (like in the school library) is crucial to using the technology as a supportive tool.
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking has a wide range of benefits. Students who think critically often become better at learning how to learn: they will have a sense of their individual learning style and what they need to do to understand and retain information. This skill will serve them well not only for GCSEs and A-Level or IB work, but also at university. Students can struggle with the shift from absorbing information to active critique at the university level; preparing them early provides an advantage.
By engaging with local, national and global issues with a discerning eye, students can develop a strong relationship with their community.
Finally, critical thinking can be important for employability. To thrive in a global economy, students can move beyond passing exams and learn to engage with diverse perspectives, evaluate evidence, analyse ideas, and use AI ethically.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from UES Education, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
REFERENCES
- Linda Elder and Richard Paul, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts & Tools, published 2014.
