The Direct Teaching of Thinking

The direct teaching of thinking involves explicitly guiding students to develop specific mental skills, such as analyzing information, evaluating evidence, and solving problems. Unlike teaching content alone, it focuses on making students aware of how to think critically and creatively. This approach often involves clear instruction, practice, and feedback to help learners become more skilled at thinking independently and effectively in various situations. It aims to foster metacognition—understanding one's own thinking processes—so students can apply these skills across disciplines and real-life contexts.