What do you think?
Rate this book
Developing Critical Thinking: The Speaking/Listening Connection
As the demand grows for students to reach new academic standards, teachers must be prepared to change their model for learning. To that end, Virginia O'Keefe's new book focuses on two modes of language that are currently undertaught, undervalued, but absolutely speaking and listening. O'Keefe's premise is that if the climate for oral communication is favorable, students will take more risks and increase their potential for higher-level thought. In the first chapter of the book, O'Keefe discusses the rationale for using speaking and listening to affect critical thinking. The second chapter describes the structure and dynamics of a communication-based classroom and contains practical suggestions for developing an atmosphere that welcomes student talk. The final chapter explores specific critical-thinking skills and includes numerous activities for developing each skill. O'Keefe also offers guidelines for assessing the activities and relates the activities to current standards of learning that apply specifically to speaking and listening. According to O'Keefe, the benefits of a communication-based learning environment are "If students experience learning in ways that encourage talking and listening, dramatic performance, small-group participation, and creative response, they have a chance to increase their repertoire of communication skills. When they form ideas, test meanings, receive feedback, and interact in a social setting, they also tap into their own innate abilities to think more effectively." Developing Critical Thinking will be a useful tool for classroom teachers who wish to raise literacy standards for all of their students and prepare them for participation in an information society that demands literacy, not just in reading and writing, but in all four modes of language.
112 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 1999
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 30, 2011
Still one of the few books to make clear the connection between oral communication skills and critical thinking
August 24, 2009
Outstanding explanation of the roles of speaking and listening in critical thinking. Section 3 contains activities to support three types of critical thinking: reasoning, predicting, and projecting. All activities are original; some are advanced enough that I thought they belong at a college level.
A teacer would have to decide whether to cover an area or promote critical thinking, due to time constraints. I don't even know if giving this much time to student activities is possible after NCLB.
A teacer would have to decide whether to cover an area or promote critical thinking, due to time constraints. I don't even know if giving this much time to student activities is possible after NCLB.
December 20, 2010
Interesting read. The practical activity ideas in the last section of the book were great springboards for developing lesson plans. I will use information I learned from this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.