Teaching Critical Thinking

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Why it works

Research on critical thinking shows it is teachable, but not as a generic, content-free skill: it is best developed within rich content and domains, by explicitly teaching and practicing specific thinking moves, evaluating evidence and sources, questioning claims and assumptions, identifying reasoning flaws, considering alternatives, and by requiring students to reason, not just recall. Critical thinking also depends on knowledge; you cannot think critically about something you know nothing about. So build knowledge and teach the thinking moves within it.

The research: Research on critical thinking and its teaching (Willingham).

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: teach a critical-thinking move in content

Teachers leave with a specific thinking move taught within rich content.

Pick content rich enough to think critically about.
Choose a specific critical-thinking move (evaluate evidence, question a claim, spot a reasoning flaw).
Teach and model it explicitly within the content.
Require students to reason and justify with evidence.

Teach the thinking moves, within contentCritical thinking is teachable skills, evaluating evidence, questioning claims, spotting flaws, developed within rich content, not in the abstract.

Facilitator notes

Teach specific thinking moves within content and knowledge.
Model and practice them.
Require reasoning with evidence.

Abstract critical-thinking lessons do not transfer wellTeaching critical thinking as a generic, content-free skill does little. Build knowledge and teach the thinking moves within rich content.

Adapt it

Elementary: evaluate simple evidence, question claims.
Secondary: evidence, sources, reasoning flaws, alternatives.
All settings: specific moves, within content.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Critical Thinking: moves within content

Teachable skills: evaluating evidence, questioning claims, spotting flaws, taught and practiced within rich content.

The content rich enough to think critically about:
The specific critical-thinking move:
How I teach and model it in the content:
How I require reasoning with evidence:
Where I have taught it too abstractly:

Make it stick

Moves within content:

Teach thinking moves in content.
Require reasoning with evidence.
Bring a critical-thinking lesson to the next PLC.

Common questions

Can critical thinking really be taught?

Yes, but within content, not as an abstract skill. Teach and practice specific moves, evaluating evidence, questioning claims, spotting flawed reasoning, inside rich content students actually know.

Isn't critical thinking a general skill that transfers?

Less than people assume. It depends heavily on knowledge of the domain, you cannot think critically about what you do not understand. Build knowledge and teach the thinking within it.

What are the moves to teach?

Evaluating evidence and sources, questioning claims and assumptions, identifying flaws in reasoning, considering alternatives, and justifying conclusions with evidence.