Ambreen Ahmed

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Teachers’ Role in Improving Students’ Thinking Skills:
Moving beyond the ‘sage on the stage’
by Ambreen Ahmed
Continued from page 1
March 1, 2009

Teacher as a Peer

Is it really possible? Can you really be one of them without losing the class control? Research says it is – If you have established a classroom environment where differences of ideas and opinions can be challenged without put downs, your students have much to gain from your expertise by seeing you as an equal. What does this mean? Well, for starters, try and portray that vulnerable side of yours on your students! Pretend that you don’t know how to do something that is related to the task. Let them take you through the journey of learning. However, do not miss out on the opportunity to confront discrepancies and clarify options (e.g. But we already said that liquids can flow…Well, Ketchup can be squeezed through…I wonder if it’s a liquid or not?) Phrases that offer tentative language are great means of scaffolding learning and give powerful tools for children to base their conversations and thinking on. Consider for instance,

I wonder … (thinking aloud)

What might I do? (thinking aloud)

But we know that…. So how can we say this? (confronting discrepancies)

So you mean to say that…. (paraphrasing and clarifying)

I’m not sure that you have enough evidence to say that. (Challenging a view point)

Challenging a view point becomes particularly important with high ability students who can benefit with teacher assuming the role of a peer. As one teacher, commenting on the discussion she had with a high achiever said, “Dominic had to know that it was not just a game: that I really did mean what I said, but he also needed to know that he could reject what I said and to give back as good as he got, and he did didn’t he! I think it was useful because I challenged him in a way that may be his peers, especially friends won’t. High ability students like Dominic need a critical, informed audience, but one they can respond to openly as well.” (Excerpt taken from Corden, 2001, p.380)

Teacher as an Evaluator

When teachers observe small groups of students engaged in talk, they have an invaluable opportunity to assess their understanding. To quote Cooper (2002, p.55), “throughout the process, the teacher has opportunities to probe students’ understandings while they are fluid, and to make corrections at favorable moments”. As an evaluator, the teacher deliberately uses indirect language that helps students take an overview of what they have achieved and also encourage them towards taking considering alternate routes. Some helpful language markers for this stage could be

That sounds really interesting…. So think about what your next step might be. (Validating and focusing)

Let’s just think about what we’ve discussed. (Reflection and consolidation)

What if I applied that rule to another situation? (Considering alternate routes)

I wonder if you’ve considered doing it this way. (Tentatively offering suggestions)

Yes, what you are talking about is called melting. (Bridging partial understandings)

You guys have worked really hard on spelling these words. I wonder if you can find five more words that follow the same pattern. (Acknowledging and validating)

This article has discussed some roles and the associated verbal behavior that teachers can integrate in their repertoire. Teachers have the power to influence the ways in which children learn. Modeling appropriate verbal behavior that probes, reflects, challenges, suggests and validates can help children learn new ways of thinking and interacting with each other.

REFERENCES

Cooper, S. M. (2002) “Classroom choices for enabling peer learning”. Theory into practice, 41 (1), 53-57

Corden, R. (2001) “Developing exploratory language in the classroom: Moving beyond teacher as an expert”. Educational Research, 9, 371-393

Duminy et al. (1992) Teaching practice. Pearson South Africa



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About Ambreen Ahmed...

Ambreen Ahmed, MA. has many years of experience teaching children from kindergarten through grade six. She has traveled extensively, and has taught in diverse multicultural and multilingual settings. Her special interests include research on teaching English as an additional language and designing collaborative learning contexts. She is married to a pediatrician, and currently juggles a full life in the trendy state of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with her three children. She loves entertaining and creating exotic continental cuisines for friends and family. Her most prized possession is her inspirational collection of cookbooks from around the globe.


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