Smart Thinking: A Programme for Developing Thinking Skills in 7 to 12 Year Olds

Smart Thinking helps primary school teachers to develop their pupil's capacities to become deep thinkers and independent learners. Supporting the creation of a thoughtful classroom that provides opportunities for pupil's negotiation, goal setting and decision making, this book encourages the teaching of reflection and metacognition, providing pupils the tools they need to be able to evaluate and regulate their own thinking.

Packed with ideas, planning tools and photocopiable proformas, this book will help teachers work with their pupils to help develop skills and dispositions which are beneficial and transferable to pupils of all ages and abilities.

Key aspects of teaching and learning covered include:

• planning for learning by setting individual goals
• selecting, using and monitoring appropriate strategies
• identifying own thinking processes
• making reasoned judgements
• asking powerful questions
• being careful observers.

This comprehensive resource is essential for all teachers who wish to empower their pupils to take responsibility for their learning and their interpersonal relationships.

Jeni Wilson is a senior lecturer in the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Unit, Department of Learning and Educational Development, at the University of Melbourne, in Victoria, Australia. She works regularly in schools.

Lesley Wing Jan is an experienced teacher and currently teaches at Eltham East Primary School, Victoria, Australia. She has a particular interest in literacy and language development.