Developing thinking skills in the early years

In the Foundation class at BISS, we encourage young children to express their thoughts with reasons, fostering essential thinking skills. One way we support this is to focus on making them 'Becausers,' children who can explain their thinking using the word 'because.'

Visual engagement plays a crucial role in their learning. To hook their attention, we share an image on the interactive whiteboard. We choose interesting pictures of animals, places, and everyday objects to spark curiosity and inspire meaningful discussions.

Three Fun "Becausing" Games

Here are three examples of activities we use to encourage thinking skills:

1. Like, Don’t Like

●      We display an image and ask, “I like it or I don’t like it?”

●      The children respond using a stem sentence: “I like it because…” or “I don’t like it because…”

2. Same, Different

●      We display two images and ask, “What makes them the same? What makes them different?”

●      The children respond using a stem sentence: “They are the same because…” or “They are different because…”

3. Better, Worse

The Philosophy Man: Better or Worse video

Developing thinking skills, laying the foundation for P4C sessions at BISS. Below is the skill progression we aim to cultivate as they advance through school.

Another important way we develop these skills is through sustained shared thinking. This collaborative process encourages children to engage in meaningful discussions with peers or adults to solve problems, explore ideas, and deepen their understanding. Inspired by Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development, it involves active contributions from both parties, enabling children to clarify concepts and extend their thinking through guided support and interaction. For example, asking open-ended questions like how, what, where, when, why, and who during play can facilitate this process.