Thinking Skills in the Early Years: A Literature Review

Geoff Taggart, Kate Ridley

25 November 2005

Since 1999, thinking skills have been included in the National Curriculum alongside key skills, such as those to do with communication and ICT. Thinking skills are expected to be developed at all key stages, and centre on information-processing skills, reasoning skills, enquiry skills, creative thinking skills and evaluation skills.

This review of literature on the subject of thinking skills provides an evidence base for researchers and practitioners on which thinking skills approaches have been established, suggests areas where more evidence is needed and makes some practical recommendations for researchers, policy makers and practitioners. The review answers these important questions:

1. What pedagogical approaches to developing generic thinking skills currently exist for children between the ages of three and seven?
2. What are the generic thinking skills that children are able to demonstrate at this age?
3. What is the relationship between these thinking capabilities and those that the pedagogical approaches aim to develop?

The book reports the key findings from the review and makes recommendations for researchers, policy makers and practitioners. This is essential reading for all those keen to develop and enhance the thinking skills of young people.

PDF ISBN: 1 905314 15 9