Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
in the Foundation Stage
Caring
Friendly
Relaxed
Encouraging
Welcoming
Supportive
Risk taking
Valuing
s
ill
hildren’s think
c
g
n
ing
rvi
e
sk
aching
e
t
bs
g
str
n
oti
at
om
iate ph
op r
ys
r
p
ies
eg
t
De
Allowing time
Observing
Providing challenge
Encouraging risk taking
Scaffold learning
Making links
Offering Alternatives
Introducing a degree
of ambiguity
• Developing reflective
thinking
en
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
m
Listening
Encouraging
Fostering creativity
Questioning
Modelling
Considering
mistakes as learning
opportunities
• Providing Feedback
• Providing openended tasks
nviron
•
•
•
•
•
•
Creating a
learning
ethos
Developing an
appropriate physical
environment
• Children’s own work • Resources are
evident
well organised and
• There are interactive
stimulating
displays
• There may be a
range of thinking
• There is effective
use of space and
aids
colour
• Choice and
• There are
independence are
opportunities for
facilitated
outdoor learning
le
ica
Promoting teaching
strategies
ping an a
o
l
p
ve
Pr
•
•
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•
•
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O
Creating a
learning ethos
Promoting Thinking Skills
and Personal Capabilities
across the curriculum
in the Foundation Stage
Observing children’s
thinking skills
• Develop memory
skills
• Be aware of others
• Recall
• Observe
• Describe
• Express ideas
• Ask questions
• Make suggestions
• Understand and
follow instructions
• Resolve conflicts
• Solve problems
independently
• Process information
• Be creative
• Use imagination
• Make connections
• Give options and
reasons
• Build on others’
ideas
• Make decisions
• Empathise
...Managing
Information
d respond to
a focus, ask an
• Work with
sk.
ta
e
rify th
questions to cla
ion from
at
help, inform
d
• Select, with
s provided an
ce
ur
so
re
d
an
materials
information.
in
ta
ob
to
ys
suggest wa
n to a task.
tions in relatio
• Follow direc
an.
• Begin to pl
record
ple methods to
• Identify sim
information.
...Being Creative
• Be curious
and ask ques
tions about
the world arou
nd them, using
all the
senses to expl
ore and respon
d to
stimuli.
• Talk about
their memories
and
experiences.
• Play for ple
asure and as
a form of
creative expres
sion.
• Show excit
ement, enjoym
ent and
surprise in lea
rning.
• Be willing
to take on new
challenges.
• Experimen
t with ideas th
rough
writing, draw
ing, mark mak
ing,
model making
.
How can we create
opportunities for children
to develop TS&PC across
the curriculum in the
Foundation Stage?
Through observation and
assessment we will discover
if children demonstrate...
...Working with
Others
• Be willing to join in.
• Learn to work and play
cooperatively.
• Develop routines of listening, turn-taking, sharing,
co-operating and reaching
agreement.
• Be able to learn from
demonstrating and modelling.
• Be aware of how their actions
can affect others.
• Learn to behave and use words
to suit different purposes.
• Develop confidence at being
with adults and other children
in a variety of contexts.
...Thinking, P
roble
and Decision m Solving
Making
• Show their
ability to mem
orise by
recalling and
restructuring
experiences
and stories.
• Make close
observation an
d provide
descriptions of
what they notic
e.
• Show the ab
ility to sequen
ce and order
events and inf
ormation, and
to see wholes
and parts.
• Identify an
d name objec
ts and events
same/differen
as
t, sort and pu
t objects into
groups.
• Make simple
predictions an
d see
possibilities.
• Give opinion
s and reasons.
• Ask differen
t types of ques
tions.
...Self
Management
y are doing
• Talk about what the
ned.
and what they have lear
s,
focu
to
ity
• Develop the abil
sist with
sustain attention and per
tasks.
of emotions
• Develop awareness
s and
about learning, their like
dislikes.
ices and
• Be able to make cho
decisions.
nd for help.
• Ask an adult or frie