These creative off-the-shelf activities will spark children's thinking skills through speaking, listening, reading and writing. Busy teachers wanting to shake up their lessons will find them indispensable. Includes: problem-solving: creative and critical thinking; emotional thinking; questioning skills and plan-do-review formats clear explanation of underpinning theory advice on differentiating activities links to the National Literacy Strategy Framework.

These creative off-the-shelf activities will spark children's thinking skills through speaking, listening, reading and writing. Busy teachers wanting to shake up their lessons will find them indispensable. Includes: problem-solving; creative and critical thinking; emotional thinking; questioning skills and plan-do-review formats clear explanation of underpinning theory advice on differentiating activities links to the National Literacy Strategy Framework.

These creative off-the-shelf activities will spark children's thinking skills through speaking, listening, reading and writing. Busy teachers wanting to shake up their lessons will find them indispensable. Includes: problem-solving; creative and critical thinking; emotional thinking; questioning skills and plan-do-review formats clear explanation of underpinning theory advice on differentiating activities links to the National Literacy Strategy Framework.

Engage pupils' interest and imagination with these thirty-six stand-alone lesson plans. These thought-provoking activities are suitable for pupils of all abilities and will also help improve their literacy skills. Includes: differentiation and extension activities time-saving photocopiable resources easy-to-use flexible lesson plans.

Technological advances and the way young people interact with them means children are thinking and processing information in an increasingly visual manner. Visualising Literacy and How to Teach It recognises that many, if not most, children are attracted to visual images and uses this as a basis for introducing and developing a range of thinking skills and strategies for learning. This practical resource offers a selection of visuals, each accompanied by activities that give children practice in using their imaginations in different ways. Visualising Literacy and How to Teach It not only explores creative and critical thinking skills but also pays close attention to the overarching thinking skill that we call imagination. The book contains around 150 practical activities that develop children’s imaginations, focussing on a range of thinking skills, including but not limited to the following: developing observational/attentional skills noticing details (focussing of attention) assimilating visual information increasing experience of inferential thinking, speculation, dealing with generalisations boosting vocabulary empowering one’s attitude towards exploring ideas learning different questioning techniques increasing the ability to empathise becoming comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity Many of the visualisation techniques can be applied to developing different aspects of emotional resourcefulness, including empathy, positive self-image, anchoring positive thoughts and modifying negative thoughts and feelings. This is, therefore, an essential resource for any teacher or education professional who is keen on developing children’s ability to think and express their own ideas.

Help children of all learning styles and strengths improve their critical thinking skills with these creative, cross-curricular activities. Each engaging activity focuses on skills such as recognizing and recalling, evaluating, and analyzing.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.