The Thinking Frames Approach
KS2-KS3

How to use

How to use this CPDU

During the course of our various action research projects over recent years the Cams Hill Science Consortium has found that the best way to introduce the Thinking Frames process to teachers is to:

1. Share practical activities and resources which teachers can immediately use in the classroom.
2. Explain the processes involved and encourage them to use the TF templates with their class. As they do this it is important that the teacher models each stage to their class so that the children understand the sequence of thinking and literacy skills required to produce their own explanations.
3. Encourage the teachers to reflect upon and self evaluate the initial impact of their trials.
4. Provide support to enable them to look in detail at each stage of the process to see how they can refine their teaching approach so as to improve learning.
5. Suggest that the teacher then moves on from using the TF templates and incorporates the approach and ideas in to their everyday teaching.
6. Enable teachers to compile their own portfolio of evidence of improving teaching and learning that they can use for their own performance management.

This website has been designed to support your continuing professional development by offering you access to this same sequence of events. The Thinking Frames Approach is complex and so to support you we have packed this site with downloadable resources and video examples of teaching and learning. You will find various different ways to navigate around this site so please take the time to explore.

The sections within the Introduction will introduce you to the concepts and get you started. Then we would recommend that you come back to the site when you have had a go using the Thinking Frames with your pupils. The 5 Stages section will enable you to look in detail at the teacher-pupil interactions during each stage and will help you to refine and improve the impact that the Thinking Frames can offer. Finally, the Supporting your CPD section will help you to conduct your own programme of action research and collate evidence of the impact of the Thinking Frames approach upon learning in your school.

Having tried the Thinking Frames Approach, if you would like to discuss your ideas and experiences with other primary and secondary teachers do please join our teachers forum. See www.thinkingframe.com for details.

Download this CPDU's supporting PowerPoints (zip file, 196 mb).