How To Improve Critical Thinking Skills In Students

Critical thinking is a conceptual method of accurately analysing, applying, and evaluating information collected from experience, reflection, communication, or mere observation. It is a way of systematically and consciously processing information so that one can make the finest decision and have a clear understanding of one’s surroundings.

In schools and colleges, students require strong critical thinking skills to read and write effectively as well as to mould their personalities as aware individuals. The more students practise critical thinking, the more skilled they become at creating refined and thoughtful solutions to the challenges they face in their day-to-day life.

Some crucial skills that students need in any field and at all levels of education are- Communication and Information skills, Collaboration skills, Thinking and Problem-Solving skills and Interpersonal and Self-Directional skills.

To think critically is to analyse a scenario based on hard evidence in order to build a thorough understanding of it. With thorough understanding of a subject or a scenario, students can make better decisions and solve problems effectively.

To put it in a few words, critical thinking means arriving at one’s own carefully considered conclusions.

Here are a few ways teacher may adopt to teach students how to cultivate critical thinking:

Let them consider more than one point of view

Everyone has their own opinions and motivations – even people with high IQ have personal opinions and biases that shape their thinking. So, when an individual presents herself/himself with information, it is ideal to consider whether there are other sides to the story.

Teach them to practise active listening

Teaching students how to listen carefully to what others are telling them, and trying to build a clear picture of their perspective can help them understand where people are coming from and what they might want. Students should be taught to listen without judgment, as critical thinking is all about keeping an open mind to different ideas and perspectives.

Guide them on how to ask open-ended questions

Curiosity is a key trait of critical thinkers. Channeling a learner's inner child and asking WH questions could aid critical thinking in them.

Make them question their own biases

We all have our biases, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. The point here is to help students think objectively about their likes and dislikes, preferences, and beliefs, and consider how these might impact their thinking.

Make them form individual opinions

Critical thinking is about thinking independently. So once students have assessed all the information about a subject, forming their own conclusions about it is a clear sign of a critical thinker.

Utilising critical thinking skills changes the standards of learning and teaching. It helps students examine others’ behaviours and analyse their logic and helps them act beyond theoretical or bookish knowledge.

As an international school to foster comprehensive learning, one of the objectives of Wellsprings Academy is to make students ready for learning through discovery. For that, students are taught how to think critically from an early age. To know more about our approach to make comprehensive education easily accessible to every child, please explore our website.