Methods to teach critical
thinking for high school
students
Introduction
Critical thinking is a crucial skill for living
life. Even it is regarded as a must-have
important skill for student in modern
era education. Current literature
reveals that critical thinking strategies
in high school classroom can improve
student academic performance. That is
the reason why teaching critical
thinking skills becomes important for
teachers to answering the needs of
students. Critical thinking skill will help
students not only to seek information
but also developing their ability to
recognize type of information
needed.
Aims
The aim of this study is to elaborates
some practical teaching methods that
can be used by teachers to facilitate
critical thinking in their classroom. The
teaching methods also considering the
need for critical thinking, the definitive
characteristics, and how teacher might
stimulate critical thinking.
Figure 1. The 21st Century Learner
Contact Information :
Riry Ambarsarie
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science,University of Bengkulu
Email : riryambarsary@gmail.com
Phone : (+62) 81379023960
Ambarsarie, R.
Departement of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health
1
Sciences, University of Bengkulu
Methods
In this literature review study, inclusion
criterion were defined and the authors
independently reviewed the search result.
The key information of this articles included ,
like “critical thinking‟, „teaching method‟,
„teaching strategies‟, “high school student‟,
“high school education‟, ‟high-order thinking‟,
was methodically abstracted and coded,
synthesized and discussed in the categories
teaching method study and critical thinking
study especially for high school student.
Results/Discussion
The characteristics of effective teaching are
challenge students to know, not memorize;
motivate student to always do question,
examine, create, solve, interpret, debate;
active classess are purposeful and well
organized; motivate students to think about
what they learn; apply material to real
situations; motivate student continue to learn
independently.1
Some practical teaching method that can be
used in classroom to improve the critical
thinking skill of high school students are :
1. The ABC‟s of Critical Thinking Lesson
Plans 2, 3, 4
2. Questioning Techniques 5,6,7
3. Discussing New Ideas : The Value
Line 8,9
4. Quick-Write Activity 8,10
5. Directed Reading-Thinking
Activity 8,9
Figure 2. Implication of critical thinking in education
Critical thinking teaching methods emphasize
the intellectual ability of students, such as
analytical, synthesis and reflective thinking.1 The
chosen teaching methods should be adjusted
with student‟s conditions and existing learning
process and also following this important
principles : there is a balance between
content and learning process, there is
a balance between lecturing and
discussion (interaction), create
discussion class.
Conclusion
The teaching methods that presented in this
study derived from the review of the
literatures on critical thinking, critical thinking
education, as well as on theoretical and
empirical studies on efeective teaching and
learning. The macro goals of this teaching
methods is to develop students into better
thinkers, learners, and persons and also
serve to guide teacher‟s work in remodelling
their existing teaching methods into ones that
critical thinking principles and skills are
incorporated into everyday classrooms
learning and instruction.
Acknowledgement
Thank you to dr. Ardi Findyartini, PhD who help organise and
support this study.
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