Strategies to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

Strategies to develop critical thinking skills are essential to learning and especially to the autonomous learner (Brookfield). These skills are an essential foundation to move the learner from a dependent learner who feels inadequate, having a lack of confidence and even feeling shame to the self-directed learner who demonstrates pride, enthusiasm and bold determination (Candy, p347). This type of learner is one who manifests a critical confidence meaning the growing belief that the learner feels confident enough to debate and critically question experts in the field.

Brookfied in his 1987 book entitled Developing Critical Thinkers identifies effective strategies to develop critical thinking skills.

Create a supportive social climate 

Listen and watch attentive for verbal and nonverbal cues within a conversation to be able to pose questions and expound one’s understanding

Challenge old modes of thoughts, using sensitivity and understanding 

Reflect on attitudes, rationalizations, habitual ways of thinking and acting to see themselves in a different perspective

Provide opportunities for reflective evaluation in the process of critical thinking

Sources:

Brookfield, S. D. (1987). Developing Critical Thinkers. San-Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Candy, P. (1991).  Self-Direction for Lifelong Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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 By Tracy Atkinson

Tracy Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Southwest with her husband and spirited long-haired miniature dachshunds. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education and an EDS in higher education. Her passion is researching, studying and investigating the attributes related to self-directed learners and learning styles. She has published several titles, including MBTI Learning Styles: A Practical Approach, The Art of Learning Journals, Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.