Planning Higher Order Skills into

Teaching for Deep Learning

Session 7

Reflective Questions

• What are thinking skills and higher order skills?• Why are thinking skills and higher order skills integral to

Curriculum for Excellence?• In what way can thinking and higher order skills impact on pupil

learning?• How should thinking and higher order skills be taught?• What is the current thinking and debate around the role of

higher order skills in learning? What do you think?• How can I integrate higher order skills with my classroom

teaching?• How can I ensure I am providing a balanced progression within

higher order skills?

Learning Intention

• We are learning about the role of thinking and higher order skills in teaching for understanding

Success Criteria

I can:• Understand how thinking skills and higher order skills

have gained increasing importance as part of our education system

• Explain how thinking and higher order skills impact on pupil learning and understanding

• Plan how to integrate thinking and higher order skills into teaching for understanding

Impact

• Where is your understanding of these elements of Higher Order Skills at this point on a rating of 1 – 6?

• 1 being low understanding

• 6 being high understanding

Format :• Welcome • Paired task – Pair & share• Individual Reading - Hand out 1 • Group task – Hand out 1 – groups of 4 to

discuss• Whole group task – Videos, • Group task – Hand out 2• Extension Task/Action Plan• Individual evaluation

Pre-task

Let’s share your responses to these questions:

• What are thinking skills and higher order skills?• Why are thinking skills and higher order skills

integral to Curriculum for Excellence?• In what way can thinking and higher order skills

impact on pupil learning?

Pair and share – 5 mins

Individual & Group Tasks• Reading from Hand out 1- highlight/note the

most important points – 4 - 5 mins

• Form groups of 4 – extract and discuss the important information you highlighted from this reading

3-step interview or other strategy - 5 mins

Whole Group Task

View Video clips:

• 7.1- De Bono - discrete teaching• http://youtu.be/j4KuJq4x8Lw • 7.2 - Carol McGuiness – considering the options• http://youtu.be/e7v5FYeN9jU • 7.3 – David Perkins - offering an organic and

integrated approach http://youtu.be/9WZdX77MEk8

Brief sharing of reactions to these - 2 mins

 

Groups of 4

• Study and discuss your Higher Order Skill

Task Sheets 2.a) – e)

• Work together to devise your alternative learning scenario

• Share with whole group (or study as a follow on task)

• 10 mins

Extension Suggestions?• Study the HOS lesson scenarios created and

work together to try some more

• Collaborative re-versioning of a familiar lesson by deciding on learning intentions and success criteria linked to particular HOS

• Extension reading as desired – whole of Hand out 1 text

Teacher Action Plan?• Individual decisions on what to try next and how

you’d like to do this – or co-ordinate as a staff?• Note the balance of Higher Order Skills used

and the degree of progression being enabled within each skill

• It may be useful to look at planning documents to assess balance and progression in these too

• Focus on learning intentions and success criteria to integrate Higher Order Skills with curricular skills

Evaluation

Where would you rate your understanding of these elements of Higher Order Skills now using a rating 1 – 6?