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Thinking Vocabulary – Language for Questions and Answers in essay writing

Handout 1: Untrain the Parrot

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Thinking Vocabulary – Language for Questions and Answers in essay writing

• “lets compare and contrast these two texts/characters.”

• What do you predict will happen when…?”• “How can this text be classified?”• “let’s consider the possibilities that this

could lead to.”• “what do you consider might have if …”• “what do you infer must/might have

happened to lead to this?”• What conclusions can you draw about this

text?”• “What alternative ideas do you have about

an aspect of life or society as a result of considering the themes in this text?”

• “What generalisations might you make about the characters, human nature, an issue or aspect of society?”

• “What assumptions can we safely make about the author’s perceptions, beliefs, point-of-view, world view, logic bubble or paradigm.

• “How are you going to evaluate or investigate these possibilities or alternatives?”

• “What will your essay accomplish?”• “What is the goal of your essay?”• “What are some of the consequences that

you predict will happen if this idea was put into place/adopted by society or a section of society?”

• “What criteria will you apply to evaluate the outcomes?”

• “What evidence do you have to support that?”

• “What inferences might these examples/illustrations/portrayals suggest?”

• “Is what the character says/does supported by the reasons he/she gives?”

• “What does your point-of-view, statement or argument explain/ demonstrate about society or a section of society?”

*Many of these questions have been adapted from Chapter 3: “Direct Instruction and the Teaching of Skillful Thinking” of Thinking-Based Learning: Activating Students’ Potential, pg 85.

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Plus Minus Interesting (De Bono)

• Tell students that they are doing a PMI.• Giving their thought direction a name gives them

permission to look in directions they might otherwise feel uncomfortable about – especially in front of their peers.

• Look at a character’s decisions or actions.• What are the Pluses, Minuses and Interesting

aspects of the characters decisions or actions.

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Consequences and Sequels (De Bono)

• Put “harvested” ideas or possibilities through a time machine.

• Before they get a chance to get thrown out because they don’t feel emotionally comfortable.

• Think about the what may happen in the space of a year.

• What might have happened in 5-20 years?• What would your ideas bring to the character,

the situation, society or a section of society if they were adopted or took place after 10 - 20 years?

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Consider all factors (De Bono)

• This is a useful one to come back to after an Examine Both Sides, an Other Peoples’ Views or Reframing the Problem.

• In science and geo Consider All Factors would be a good starting point. But our subject lends itself to themes arising out of being in a human mind. EBS and OPV’s fit well with the ideas we have to examine and write about.

• History could start with EBS and OPV as part of a CAF. Then do a retrospective look at Consequences and Sequels as the outcome, and finish with a Reframing of the Problem.

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Listing dominant factors and identifying crucial factors “tethers” –

De Bono• Have students list the dominant factors. • It’s not important for them to list them in order of

importance but they can if they want. It’s just that their minds are directed to them.

• Then have them list the “sticking points” or tethering posts. These are the crucial factors that always seem to remain and are usually emotional and connected to values.

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Exploring ideas freed from emotional tethers.

• Have students “pretend that the crucial factors have been put in a cupboard for a while”.

• Now let them revisit their ideas.

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Examine Both Sides – (De Bono)• This is a very useful tool for finding out the areas of agreement or

disagreement.• It starts off with examining the argument on both sides of the issue.• Then often areas or factors that are both agreed upon come to light.• They can sometimes be more numerous than the areas of

disagreement and provide a base for compromise.• The first time you use this tool have the students think that they are

going to have to present a particular side. Then after 5 – 10 mins tell them they are now in fact having to present the other side of the issue.

• It is hard for students to automatically be interested in looking at both sides to an issue. It’s not something that they would do if they had the choice. It requires effort to crank up the brain to start thinking about an issue from the other side. Switching them to presenting the information to the second side of the issue to the class, after they have nearly already prepared the first, will hopefully appeal to their need to perform well in front of their peers. Or could just take a chocolate bar for the best presentation as an incentive!

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Other Peoples’ Views – exploring Logic Bubbles

• This is a deeper and wider Examine Both Sides. • It explains the framework of thinking (perception, logic) that creates

the stand point that the EBS explored.

• People roll around in separate and differing logic bubbles created by upbringing, environment and experience. They operate from the values that have linked to this upbringing, environment and experience.

• De Bono writes in his Thinking Course• If someone does not agree with you he’s not stupid, bloody-minded

or obstinate. They may be highly intelligent and acting from their own “bubble”.

• Separate bubbles can’t sell their logic to each other unless there are areas of agreement which can be built on. These are discovered in an Examine Both Sides.

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Reframing Problems• This is an interesting thinking skill for Formal Writing and

considering themes in English texts.• Problems can be looked at from an opposite point-of-view. For example• The problem of children getting separated from their parents in large

crowds could be the problem of careless parents in crowds.• In The Giver the problem of gaining human knowledge and memories could

be the problem of losing innocence.• In “Remember the Titans” the problem of having to share a football side

with members of another race could be the problem caused by fear of the loss of power to an unknown outcome as white team members are forced to include black players in their side.

• In Looking for Alibrandi the problem of hating an Australian-Italian family background and all the tradition that goes with it could become the problem of not being able to identify fully with either culture and feeling insecure as a result of this.

• In Tomorrow, When the War Began the problem of Australia being threatened with invasion for its wealth of resources could become the problem of Australia’s failure to share its wealth to help support poorer nations in the neighbouring Pacific to keep the region secure.

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TextIdeas or concepts generated by a theme or idea in the text.

Thinking skill Possibilities/

Ideas generated

Thinking skill Projections

Judgements

conclusions

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Possibilities become Projections - Conclusions, Judgements

Themes/ideas demonstrated by decisions, actions or dialogue within a texts.

Plus Minus

Interesting

Consider All

Factors

Examine

Both Sides

Other Peoples’

Views.

Perceptive Comment

Reframing the ProblemListing dominant factors and

identifying crucial factors “tethering posts” – usually emotional.

Exploring ideas freed from emotional tethers

Consequences and Sequels

After 1 year

In 5 to 20 years

20 plus years Projections Conclusions Judgements =

Perceptive Comment

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Applying these to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills

What’s happening Competence Skills Useful Question

in essay writing verbs stems

Remembering examples with quotes from texts

knowledge Memorise remember recognise

recall

List, identify, tell, define,

label, name, collect

Who..? What? When? Where? Describe

what happened

How many?

The organisation of information and examples into

sentences within in essay paragraphs

with correct punctuation.

comprehension Interpret organise

and select translate from one

medium to another identify

Summarise explain

paraphrase illustrate estimate

distinguish predict

Can you retell the story

Can you provide an example

of ..?

Can you predict..?

Estimate how many…

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Applying these to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills

What’s happening Competence Skills Useful Question

in essay writing verbs stems

Knowing what information and examples apply to a particular essay question.

What examples are relevant and will help to prove my point or make

my case?

ApplicationUse information solve problems using required skills or knowledge use methods or concepts or theories in new situations

Apply demonstrate

discover modify classify

calculate complete

solve experiment

Can you apply this

to…? What questions would you ask of …? Could this

have happen in….?

Analysis of what is learned from the

examples. Springboard for possibilities and

new learning

Analysis seeing patterns organisation of

parts recognitions of hidden meanings

identification of components

identify facts and fallacies

Connect select

analyse compare arrange divide

categorise order

What was the turning point?

Why do you think?

Which comments are true?

Can you distinguish between?

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Applying these to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills

What’s happening Competence Skills Useful Question

in essay writing verbs stems

Taking the analysis to use De Bono’s lateral thinking tools to generate new concepts, ideas, points-of-view.

To delay the judgement process

To find possibilities

Synthesis Use old ideas to create new

Predict and draw conclusions

Relate knowledge from several areas

Generalise from given facts.

Assess recommend

modify rewrite create

compose construct

invent predict argue forecast

design

Can you compose a

new…? What would happen

if…? How many ways can you …?

Evaluation of the results of what came out of the use of the thinking skills.

What ifs: what new learning have we stumbled across?

What “tether” have we freed ourselves from? Has there been a paradigm shift?

Evaluation compare and discriminate

between ideas assess the

value of ideas

Judge select choose

recommend prioritise conclude

How effective are …? Can you prioritise and conclude ?

What criteria…?

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Applying these to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills

What’s happening Competence Skills Useful Question

in essay writing verbs stemsDiscussion of the possible meaning for the world, society or a section of society if an idea was applied, adopted or an idea dropped. Final comment or judgement/non judgement. Open doorway to future/conjecture….

Competence Develop opinions and judgements make choices based on reasoned argument

Determine debate, assess,

verify justify, evaluate

What would you use to assess?

can you justify your decision?

Adapted from: Able, Gifted and Talented by Janet Bates and

Sarah Munday

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Examples Text issue/theme thinking already thinking skill new ideas…

Other Peoples’ Views to investigate the Logic Bubbles of perspective belonging to Baba and Ali to discover what would actually have happened if the truth had been told.

The new ideas would be retrospective.

Explaining at how the two perspectives were shaped by their upbringing, culture and status in Afghan society.

There would be discussion on areas where they were in agreement if the truth had always been known.

There would be a comment on the pressure to conform to society – that exists in every culture.

That these cultural barriers can be broken down by next generations as immigrants

into a new society.

Theft of the truth and its fallout.

Baba does not tell Hassan that he is his father.

Baba has not told Amir that he has a brother, Hassan.

Baba has not admitted to Ali that he had sex with his wife and was the father of his only child.

That Baba is a hypocrite because he claimed that he considers theft a sin, but stole the right that Hassan had to know that he was Baba’s son.

So there is internal conflict in the character of Baba which then reflects externally in his harsh treatment of Amir – resulting from the guilt and disappointment in himself first, and then Amir’s weakened personality.

Amir then steals the truth from Hassan.

Consequences and Sequels.

Consider All Factors

Investigation of areas of agreement and disagreement

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Examples Text issue/theme thinking already thinking skill new ideas…

The morality of War:

In the novel the logic bubbles or perspective bubbles of Kevin and Robyn are reflected by their responses to their country’s invaders.

The invaders are a poorer nation “somewhere in the Pacific”.

That Kevin and Robyn have different/ conflicting views on the invaders and Australia’s role in the invasion. The student can quote examples from the text to back this conflict over “morality of war”.

Examine Both Sides.

Listing dominant factors and identifying crucial factors “tethers”

Consequences and Sequels

Exploring ideas freed from emotional tethers.

Reframing the problem

Consider all Factors

The new ideas would be

along the lines of projections for the future. Possibilities

for world peace, society or sections of

society.

There would be what ifs? And if only.

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Examples Text issue/theme thinking already thinking skill new ideas…

The morality of War:

In the novel the logic bubbles or perspective bubbles of Kevin and Robyn are reflected by their responses to their country’s invaders.

The invaders are a poorer nation “somewhere in the Pacific”.

That Kevin and Robyn have different/ conflicting views on the invaders and Australia’s role in the invasion. The student can quote examples from the text to back this conflict over “morality of war”.

Other Peoples’ Views

Consider All Factors

Noting and commenting on the areas of agreement and disagreement.

There may be more common ground than originally noticed

The new ideas would be retrospective.

Explaining at how the two perspectives were shaped by their upbringing and outlook.

There would be discussion on areas where they were in agreement after all.

Listing dominant factors and identifying crucial factors “tethers”

Comment on society ….

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References• Thinking-Based Learning: Activating Students’ Potential, Robert J. Swartz, Arthur L

Costa, Barry K Beyer, Rebecca Reagan, Bena Kallick.

• Teaching Complex Thinking: Session 2 Critical & Creative Thinking, Presented by Michael Pohl

• Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, Dede Paquette and John Ryan. http://pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf

• Lateral thinking, Edward De Bono

• Thinking Course: Powerful Tools to Transform your Thinking, Edward De Bono.

• Able, Gifted and Talented, Janet Bates and Sarah Munday.

• Untrain Your Parrot and other no-nonsense instructions on the Path of Zen, Elizabeth Hamilton.

• Gifts From a Course in Miracles, edited by Frances Vaughan and Roger Walsh.

• Buddhism for Mother with Lingering Questions, Sarah Napthali