Reasoning Concepts

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Concepts that structure thinking

REASONING CONCEPTS are those words that give structure our thoughts and connect them with other thoughts in larger structures. They are words like cause, whole, same, different, some, all, reason, definition, conclusion, alternative, important and evidence. We need to understand their resourcefulness in order to compare, infer, rank, construct arguments and do all the other things distinctive of complex thinking and dialogue.

In this section we collect activities and ideas to help you develop your pupils' capacities to understand reasoning concepts and and the variety of ways they can be expressed and used in critical and creative thinking.

Title Category Author Createdsort icon
Answers, Questions and Truth
Here are two activities with which to explore children's attitudes to questions and to ask them to consider degrees of truth in answers to a questions. 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 03/02/2012
Good Reasons
Six exercises to introduce the notions of relevance, strength and sense with which to evaluate reasons. 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 03/02/2012
If ...
Exercises with which to reflect on the logical, causal and imaginative uses of the word "if". 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 03/02/2012
The Language of Reasoning
Why and how to help pupils get more control over their thinking 		Reasoning Concepts, P4C Articles, P4C Library Steve Williams 26/01/2012
Examples
An exercise on giving examples 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 25/01/2012
Generalization
An activity to help children become aware of generalization,its uses and abuses 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 25/01/2012
Questions and Answers
Activities to help children think about what makes good questions and answers and how to answer them. 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 25/01/2012
Roles
Some exercises to help pupils think about the different roles people play 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 24/01/2012
Similarities and Differences
Thoughts and an exercise about similarities and differences with respect to ... 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 24/01/2012
Possible and Impossible
An activity for young children to develop awareness of these important concepts. 		Reasoning Concepts Sara Stanley 24/01/2012
'Probably'
Two exercises on, using the word 'probably' and the links to inductive reasoning. 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 26/10/2011
Inferring
Two exercises on inferring, the act of thinking beyond what is give. 		IAPC Materials, Reasoning Concepts IAPC 26/10/2011
Would you prefer ...?
Another activity for the nursery questions board involving children in giving reasons for their preferences 		Reasoning Concepts Sara Stanley 15/10/2008
A nursery question board
Introducing the philosophical skill of making a choice and giving a reason with children in nursery. 		Getting Started, Reasoning Concepts Sara Stanley 08/10/2008
Questions about the question
A graphic organiser to help explore dimensions of a question 		Choosing Questions, Reasoning Concepts Will Ord 14/08/2008
Questions to consider about a question
Ideas for developing children's powers of questioning 		Choosing Questions, Reasoning Concepts Will Ord 14/08/2008
Introducing Argument
Tips for developing criteria for good arguing and good arguments 		Reasoning Concepts Will Ord 14/08/2008
Eight tips to develop questioning
 Reasoning Concepts Will Ord 14/08/2008
Strong and weak reasons
An activity and resource using a 'diamond nine' 		Reasoning Concepts Will Ord 13/08/2008
Little concepts for big thinking
On the importance of concepts for reasoning and connection-making 		Community Dialogue, Reasoning Concepts Steve Williams 02/07/2008
A short course in logic
LogicWorks. A short course in logic for teachers and pupils to help with progression in thinking, writing and dialogue. 		Progression, Reasoning Concepts Roger Sutcliffe 23/06/2008
Claims and reasons
An activity to encourage the giving of reasons to support claims 		Reasoning Concepts Steve Williams 11/04/2008