Why do we use Thinking Moves?
Thinking Moves A to Z is a structured approach to thinking about the different ways we think (this is known as metacognition). It is a programme that enables us to describe the way we are thinking when we are learning. By having a way of talking about how we all think, it enables our children to work on improving the effectiveness of their thinking and thus their learning. The Thinking Moves themselves are not new – we all use them in our life every day. Regular reference to Thinking Moves motivates our pupils to practise and demonstrate different sorts of thinking. The use of metacognitive thinking and strategies enables pupils to become flexible, creative and self-directed learners. Metacognition particularly assists pupils with additional educational needs in understanding learning tasks, in self-organising and in regulating their own learning. There are 26 Thinking Moves (one for every letter of the alphabet). Once children become familiar with each particular Thinking Move, they are able to use it as a means of learning independently. The use of Thinking Moves empowers our children to actively select a particular method of thinking to access any learning activity. Thinking Moves promotes a conscious understanding of the methods of thinking we must employ in order to tackle any learning tasks. Here at St Mary's, we understand the importance of not only teaching our pupils new knowledge and skills but of equipping them with the thinking tools needed to access such new knowledge and skills. For this reason, we employ Thinking Moves across the curriculum in every subject.
