Cultures of Thinking Routines in the ELC
One of the programs we run in the ELC is Letterland. Letterland is a phonics-based program for establishing letter sound relationships prior to a child learning to read. During our Letterland session, we capture the children’s interest by pulling objects that have the initial sound of the Letterland character of the week from a Letterland box.
This week we explored the Letterland character of ‘Annie Apple’ – A. In the Pre-Prep B’s class this experience was used in a Culture of Thinking routine, See, Think, Wonder, prompting children’s thinking and making deeper connections to prior knowledge.
During group time Miss Mitchell showed the children the Letterland box. Inside the box were items beginning with the letter A. One child, Marion, selected the astronaut.
Miss Mitchell prompted her with ‘What do you see?’
An astronaut’ was the response. Miss Mitchell continued to question Marion to get her to think more deeply about her response.
‘What makes you think that?’ asked Miss Mitchell.
Marion’s response showed a deeper thinking, ‘because of the astronaut’s suit, cause it helps them with the gravity – to float’, demonstrating linking prior knowledge to what is being observed.
‘What does that make you wonder?” asked Miss Mitchell. It is at that point the children will critically think and we as educators can support their next learning step.
‘What it would feel like to be in space’, reported Marion. From here we will be able to observe what Marion believes it would be like in space pulling information from photos, stories and her imagination she will explore, hypothesise and ponder this concept. She will eventually come up with a conclusion.
It is important to note that it is the process or journey that the children go on, exploring the concepts and critically thinking, rather than the outcome that is important.
We will continue to support the development of critical thinking by using the See, Think, Wonder, strategy throughout the classroom in different scenarios and learning experiences.
Kristin De Vos |Director of ELC
Natalie Barnes |Co-Educator Pre-Prep B
