Articles

This section contains articles written by project team members and our colleagues. All articles illustrate some of the elements of the Thinking Approach.

Yes-No Games in a Foreign Language Classroom

Traditionally, yes-no games are understood as situations when a group has to find an answer to something by asking questions to which the leader answers 'yes' or 'no'. This kind of activity is quite popular in a foreign language classroom. Many teachers like to play this game as it helps them focus on the ways of asking questions, learn additional vocabulary and simply bring more fun to the classroom. In the context of the Thinking Approach (TA) to language teaching, yes-no games perform one more important purpose - they are used for the development of students' inventive thinking skills. However, several important changes have to be made in the procedures used by the teacher.

The Thinking Approach to language teaching as a tool for the resolution of the key contradictions of language teaching and education

Key contradiction is seen as a central problem underlying the development of any field. The key contradictions of language teaching are formulated at three levels, namely the ones of approach, method, and procedure. At the same time, language teaching being a part of education must take account of the problems of the latter. The key contradiction of education is seen as the one between a necessity to impart knowledge valuable for students and the pace at which this knowledge becomes outdated. It appears that any new approach to language teaching in the knowledge society must take account of the above contradictions. The Thinking Approach to language teaching is presented as a possible step to the resolution of the key contradictions of language teaching and education.

Creatively ProGRAMMARed

The given article is a popular introduction into the Creative Grammar Technology. It gives the main principles of dealing with grammar within the Thinking Approach, answers typical questions and contains the point of view of both students and teachers.

Texts teaching to think - what, why and how

This short article is a summary of a workshop run at an international IATEFL conference in Liverpool. It deals with the system of tasks to text worked out in the Text Technology of the Thinking Approach.

From Dusty Folder to Successful Learning Tool

The article deals with the use of portfolio in the Thinking Approach and gives concrete examples from the classroom.