Improve Critical Thinking - Skills Training, Activities & Exercises

teaching critical thinking skills

Concrete learners, as well as those who struggle with language processing or higher-order language processing, often experience challenges when shifting to more abstract ways of learning. Difficulties with critical thinking may arise when inferential thinking or multiple meanings are used in conversation or when reading. Consequently, “reading between the lines” or searching for a deeper meaning can be a challenge. 

This collection offers a suite of Dr. Warren's critical thinking tools.


What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a cognitive process of conceptualizing, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating, and applying information that is processed from the environment, a past experience, prior knowledge, communication, and thoughts. This information is then use to determine a belief or action.  As students get older, this skill becomes more and more important as they move into higher order ways of learning.

How Can Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills?

Helping students develop critical thinking skills is not as hard as you think if you use fun and engaging activities. It's also important to use multisensory materials to improve understanding and retention of new content.  Part of the process involves the development of abstract thinking skills. You also want to use games to develop the understanding of concepts such as main ideas and details as well as inferences.  

Some of the best products are: Abstract Thinking and Multiple Meanings, Making Inferences the Fun and Easy Way, The Main Ideer, and Hey What's the Big Idea.