Goals for students

Using Visual Thinking Strategies to Promote Critical ThinkingBy: Robin Stahl & Lisa WeierCamelot Intermediate SchoolBrookings, SD

VTS: Visual Thinking StrategiesVisual Thinking Strategies (VTS) uses art to teach critical thinking, communication skills, and visual literacy to young people.VTS produces growth of students skills of observing, speculating and reasoning on the basis of evidence.These skills can be transferred from art viewing to examining content in other subjects.3Basics of VTSAsking QuestionsAcknowledging ResponsesLinking Thoughts Using VTS in Other Subjects

Asking Questions

VTS is a discovery process. Discussions are initiated by questions, phrased to provoke many thoughtful responses to what is seen in the images.Specific questions are used to encourage the students to focus, become reflective and to question- the basis for thinking critically.After giving the students a minute to reflect on the image, the following three questions are used:

Whats going on in this picture?

What do you see that makes you say that?

What else can you find?

Whats going on in this picture?This question opens up the discussion.

How the question is phrased is important because it suggests that the image is about something which can be figured out.

Think about the wording of the question above. Compare it to What do you see in this picture? The latter question often results in students making a list instead of probing deeper for meaning.What do you see that makes you say that?The students are asked to look more and gather evidence to support their opinions.

Again the phrasing is important. A question such as Why do you say that? implies the student should provide motives, not evidence, for an opinion.What else can you find?Asking this question has the effect of making the conversation more complete. Details that might be missed are often found when students are urged to look for more.

This question must be asked frequently to make the point that there is usually more to be seen and talked about than the students first think.Acknowledging ResponsesVTS discussions give immediate feedback and encourage participation.Point, and be physically expressive.As students speak, point to all that they mention in the image.Gesture with precision so that the students see exactly what is being pointed out.

Paraphrase each persons response. In doing soYou make sure that everyone will hear each comment.You model that listening to and trying to understand others is important.You have a short but clear view of how a particular child sees and thinks.You can turn a students halting answer into something crisper, clearer or more exact.

Be sure to change only the words and not the content of the students thought.

Linking Thoughts As individuals take in the discoveries of others, they often revise their first opinions or change their minds. To encourage this critical thinking, draw links between various thoughts shared by students.Acknowledge agreements and disagreementsConnect thoughts that build on othersNote shifts in thinking

Using VTS in Other SubjectsThrough the VTS process we strengthen our students ability to examine, articulate, listen and reflect.

Applying this method to other subject areas, reinforces the transfer of these skills.Some Examples:

Rube Goldberg illustration-Simple & Compound Machines

Reading- Designing Literary Award Poetry-Figurative Language

Math-100s Chart, Multiplication Table

kids.brittanica.com*This example is used with our Camelot Literary Award project.The Wind is Calling Me AwayBy Kalli DakosHow can I sit through one more day,For the wind is calling me away,And I want to change with the leaves that fall,But Im here at school and Im missing it all.

While leaves as bright as the sun fly by,We add, subtract, and multiply,And none of these numbers makes sense to me,When the sky is as blue as the summer sea.

Oh, teacher, please lets race the leaves,Lets jump in piles and climb the trees,Lets add, subtract, and multiply,The wind, the leaves, and the deep blue sky.*This example has figurative language (personification and simile).

Goals for studentsTo develop flexible and rigorous thinking skills, including observing, brainstorming, reasoning with evidence, speculating, cultivating a point of view, reflecting, and revising.To strengthen language and listening skills, including willingness and ability to express oneself, respect for the views of others and ability to consider and debate possibilities.Goals for studentsTo nurture problem-solving abilities, curiosity and openness about the unfamiliarTo build self-respect, confidence and willingness to participate in group thinking and discussion processesTo apply VTS-supported skills in many contexts, both in school and outGoals for teachersTo learn to facilitate open-ended discussions about sequenced works of art using developmentally-based questions and a supportive method of responding to student participationTo develop paraphrasing to the point where you are able to assist students with language development and flexibilityGoals for teachersTo develop a capacity to manage discussions in order to reflect to students how their thinking as individuals interacts with other, and how, as a group, they see and think about more than they could aloneTo improve ones facilitation skills with help of peersTo learn to assess verbal expressions and thinking