<p>Educate Out Prejudice </p><p>Curriculum Pilot </p><p>Critical Thinking - Garo Avakian</p><p>Contents:</p><p>1. Lesson Plan (pp. 2 – 6)</p><p>2. Group Profile with Equality and Diversity Statement </p><p>(pp. 7 – 8) </p><p>3. Resources (pp. 9 – 11)</p><p>Lesson Plan 2013/14 - Garo Avakian</p><p>Course Title: Critical Thinking Subject of Lesson: Argument Week No: 15 Room: B21 No Present: Course Code: UPH004A Reconstruction 8</p><p>Timing Content: By the end of the lesson Tutor Activities and Student Activities Resources: 2hrs students will be able to: Assessment Method Colour and A3 1. Demonstrate their ability to Elicitation/exposition – Listening and responding formatted sample identify the conclusion and what is an argument, what argument premises of an argument by are the parts of an Taking notes Sample argument locating the conclusion and argument, what is the Talking points - premises of a sample argument. meaning of logical Raising questions list of questions strength, how to identify an SMART board 2. Demonstrate their ability to argument (argument Responding to question nomination reconstruct an argument by indicators), what is an putting premises and conclusion assumption Completing learning activities of an argument in standard form. Q and A Group discussion 3. Demonstrate their Learning activity – understanding of what an argument identification assumption is by identifying and Learning activity – stating assumptions sample identification of argument relies on. assumptions</p><p>3 How to identify the conclusion and Completing register Listening and responding, scribing Colour and A3 2 min premises of an argument. Explaining and scribing lesson aims formatted sample lesson aims on IWB argument How to reconstruct an argument Sample argument Assumptions: what are they and Talking points - how to locate them list of questions SMART board </p><p>10 min How to identify the conclusion and Read sample argument Listening and responding premises of an argument and initiate ten minute discussion on comment Group discussion e.g. - passing of SSMB (Same Sex piece (passing of SSMB Marriage Bill) caused the recent caused the recent floods) floods Checking familiarity and responses of students to comment piece.</p><p>Nominating quiet students to respond.</p><p>30 min How to identify the conclusion and Elicitation/exposition – Listening and responding premises of an argument Taking notes (passing of SSMB caused the  What is an argument? recent floods)  What are the parts of an argument? How to reconstruct an argument  What is the meaning of logical strength?  How to identify an argument (argument indicators).</p><p>4 10 min How to identify the conclusion and Nominating students to Listening and responding premises of an argument answer questions to check Responding to question nomination for understanding: (passing of SSMB caused the recent floods)  What is an argument?  What are the parts of How to reconstruct an argument an argument?  What is the meaning of logical strength?  How to identify an argument (argument indicators).</p><p>10 min BREAK BREAK BREAK BREAK</p><p>15 min How to identify the conclusion and 1. Breaking up students Listening and responding premises of an argument (passing into pairs (less able of SSMB caused the recent floods). with able) Breaking up into pairs 2. Instructing students on How to reconstruct an argument. how to complete Completing learning activity – students learning activity. work together to identify another one of 3. Supporting, monitoring the premises of the SSMB-floods and observing students argument and reconstruct the argument during learning activity. in standard form </p><p>How to identify the conclusion and Checking on reconstruction Listening and responding 10 min premises of an argument (passing – nominating students to of SSMB caused the recent floods). respond to questions. Modifying answers </p><p>How to reconstruct an argument. Scribing answers from groups on IWB – correcting and giving praise on </p><p>5 answers How to identify the conclusion and Informal/seminar style Group discussion 10 min premises of an argument. exposition - defining what Listening and responding an assumption is. Taking notes How to reconstruct an argument. Then with students Assumptions: what are they and identifying two how to locate them. assumptions that SSMB- floods argument relies on to get the conclusion to follow from premises.</p><p>How to identify the conclusion and Group discussion – is this Group discussion 15 min premises of an argument. is a valid or sound argument? Listening and responding How to reconstruct an argument. Prompting students to Taking notes Assumptions: what are they and consider whether any of how to locate them. the premises of the Raising points/questions argument could actually be true. </p><p>Prompting students to consider the extent to which the argument uses the concept of causality legitimately. How to identify the conclusion and Quick recap on learning Listening and responding 2 min premises of an argument. – Nominating students to answer question to check Responding to question nomination How to reconstruct an argument. for understanding. - Modifying questions for Assumptions: what are they and less able learners. how to locate them?</p><p>6 EVALUATION OF LESSON (To what extent were the learning outcomes achieved? / What aspects of the lesson were successful? / Was there anything that was unsatisfactory? / Would you make any changes next time you teach it? Is there anything that needs to be carried over to the next lesson?</p><p>Lesson was moderately successful. Students need more time to develop argument identification skills but more so developing reconstruction skills. Some students could also benefit from having one more class where there is a focus on working out what assumptions arguments sometimes rely on. </p><p>As the argument we looked at made no explicit use of argument indicators, perhaps in the next session we could do more work on how to identify the conclusion and some premises of an argument by relying on textual hints or clues in sample text. Otherwise, all of the students did well in identifying the conclusion of the SSM bill-floods piece we looked at. </p><p>One thing that was really good about the session is the discussion that followed reconstruction of the argument. The 15 min group discussion was useful as it brought out some really interesting ideas and opinions. One student in particular raised a fascinating question: why could it not be true that the passing of the same sex marriage bill caused the floods. This resulted in a group discussion of why it could not be the case that the SSMB caused floods as well as a discussion about the nature of truth, and how methods of argument in CT work with a very specific and narrow idealisation of what counts as true or false. </p><p>Discussion also focussed on the extent to which it would be wrong to say that the SSMB caused the floods based on the requirements that are made on making a causal claim. Even though discussion was the most rewarding and interesting part of the lesson – evidence of this being students’ participation – the group still needs to do more work on reconstructing arguments as well as identifying arguments. This will be one of the aims of the next session. </p><p>The creation of this material by Morley College has been financed by the Skills Funding Agency Equality and Diversity Innovation Fund 2013/14.Copyright in this material is vested in the Crown but it is made freely available through an Open Government Licence. This licence enables you to use and adapt the material but you must attribute Morley College as the creator and include details of the licence. Full details of the licence are available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ </p><p>7 8 Group Profile</p><p>Course Title: Critical Thinking </p><p>Level: 2/3 Tutor: Garo Avakian</p><p>Start Date: 8/1/14 Department Humanities</p><p>Mode of Prt Time Day  Prt Time Eve  Full Time  Attendance</p><p>Type of Student 16-18  19+  Accredited  Non-Accredited </p><p>Number on register 8 Numbers by gender: M 2 F 6</p><p>Teacher Status Full time  Fractional  Hourly Paid  </p><p>Comments on the group (issues which impact on the way you organise the group or plan your teaching, e.g. size, range of ability, mixture of beginners/experienced, range of ages, learning styles of students etc.): </p><p>This is a fairly small group of learners with varying support needs and abilities. There are some students who, even though they have never studied critical thinking before, are adept in recognising arguments and others factors that are relevant to argument analysis and evaluation, e.g. hidden assumptions, fallacies. There are others however who are less able and therefore require more reinforcement and learning.</p><p>It will therefore be necessary to ensure that learning takes place in stages and also that students have opportunity to re-visit some prior learning in order to review and connect topics covered earlier in the course to topics covered later. The aim, in effect, will be to demonstrate to both range of students the connectedness and systematic nature of critical science (i.e., that critical thinking is a kind of science). For those who are less able, explanations need to be developed slowly, concepts explained using examples, and accompanied by practical application of skills so that through application they are able to consolidate some of their learning. </p><p>There are currently two students in the class who have support needs. The first of these students is dyslexic. In addition to this, her first language is not English. For this reason, additional time is normally given to her in completing learning activities. As well as additional time she will be encouraged to ask questions or be nominated, if she is comfortable, to answer questions. About two weeks into the course she seems to be comfortable and at ease in raising questions fairly regularly and has the tendency to address points which are quite poignant and sharp (e.g. what is truth). I will aim to encourage her to do this because these questions have a tendency to generate discussion and more questions which other</p><p>9 students have participated in. </p><p>So far, these methods of support and encouragement have worked well and will therefore continue to be used. Checks on her understanding will also be extremely useful when more complex concepts are explained. This will be done in the form of question/nomination and reinforcement of learning through question/answer following learning activities. In addition to this, in group work, she will be paired with someone more able and maybe at times less able students if she demonstrates ability consistently. I have also formatted some of the resources that are used in class so that they are pastel coloured and in A3 so that she, along with other students, are able to annotate parts of resources or take notes directly on resources. </p><p>There is another student in the class who has a disability affecting mobility. During breaks (10min) she does not seem to leave to class nor has she made any requests in terms of requiring a chair with back support. Occasionally she has a bottle of water with her or a hot beverage but on those instances where she doesn’t I have offered to bring her water while on break so that she is not inconvenienced by having to leave the class in case it is very difficult for her to move. While in class, she appears to be sit in a position where she can rest her leg on a chair next to her and so I have encouraged her to continue to do this if she is comfortable. Apart from this she seems to get on well in class and participates/initiates discussion between her tutor and her peers. She too appears to be able and demonstrates good understanding of some of the concepts we have already covered and makes relevant and poignant contributions. </p><p>Equality and Diversity </p><p>Various themes will be covered during this ten week course in order to demonstrate to students that critical thinking is used pervasively in a variety of situations. Themes will include arguments in media, (e.g. news stories), arguments about rights (e.g. animals), arguments about causation and use of statistical information to support causal inferences, same sex marriage (e.g. the bill and its causal properties), etc. The aim will be to keep the context in which skills are developed topical and current so that students’ current interests are catered for. This, however, will mean that occasionally students will have to do some research and reading outside of class by following developments and reactions to controversies in the news. However, to cater for the more sophisticated thinkers or those with a taste for the abstract, sometimes dry, logical/philosophical arguments will be used so that students can appreciate the relevance of logic to critical thinking. This is to ensure that some of learning that takes place on the course demonstrates to students that there is also some depth and intellectual history to critical thinking. </p><p>As always, throughout the classes and the course, all students will be encouraged to participate. Students have been informed that there will be a variety of learning strategies that the course will embrace, and that some of this will be through discussion, group work and, at times, 30min expositions/explanations of ideas and concepts. However, students have also been informed that the class will be run more an informal seminar model than formal lectures so that they can raise a range of questions after demonstrations or during discussions of ideas. Two weeks into the course this model has worked well so far and all students have been keen to participate so the aim will be to use it and adapt as situations require. </p><p>10 Embedding LGBT – Critical Thinking: Resources.</p><p>1. Source 1 – Telegraph Article (pp.10-11)</p><p>Online Source: Marzal, A (2014) Ukip councillor who blamed floods on gay </p><p> marriage expelled from party, [Online], Available: </p><p> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10619383/Ukip-councillor-who-</p><p> blamed-floods-on-gay-marriage-expelled-from-party.html [20 June 2014].</p><p>11 Ukip councillor who blamed floods on gay marriage expelled from party David Silvester, Ukip councillor in Henley-on-Thames, thrown out of party after calling for gay people to "repent"</p><p>"I wrote to David Cameron in April 2012 to warn him that disasters would accompany the passage of his same-sex marriage bill", said Mr Silvester Photo: GETTY IMAGES</p><p>By Andrew Marszal, and agencies</p><p>11:50AM GMT 05 Feb 2014</p><p>The Ukip councillor who blamed Britain's storms and floods on same-sex marriage has been expelled from the party after calling for gay people to "repent". </p><p>David Silvester, 73, who defected from the Conservatives in protest at David Cameron's support for same-sex unions, was initally suspended by Ukip on January 19 after claiming he had warned the Prime Minister that the legislation would result in "disasters". </p><p>12 But at an extraordinary meeting called last night to discuss whether he should resign, Mr Silvester deepened the rift over homosexual marriage and floods by calling on gays "to repent". </p><p>Ukip issued a statement today saying his comments were "unacceptable", and that it had "no choice" but to drop him from the party. </p><p>The move also followed an online petition calling for Mr Silvester to go which had attracted more than 24,000 signatures. He had previously refused to quit as a town councillor in Henley-on-Thames, Oxon. </p><p>The outcry triggered by Mr Silvester began last month when, in a letter to the Henley Standard, he blamed the storms on God's fury at the Conservatives' same-sex marriage act.</p><p>Mr Silvester wrote: "The scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its faith and acts contrary to the Gospel (and in naked breach of a coronation oath) will be beset by natural disasters such as storms, disease, pestilence and war." </p><p>Blaming David Cameron for the bad weather, he added: "It is his fault that large swathes of the nation have been afflicted by storms and floods." </p><p>Henley Town Council held an extraordinary meeting yesterday evening to discuss the row over his remarks. </p><p>Members voted unanimously to distance themselves from their councillor colleague's views. </p><p>Bizarrely Mr Silvester, who attended the meeting to explain he would not be withdrawing his comments, also voted for the motion. </p><p>Mr Silvester then deepened the rift over homosexual marriage and floods by calling on gays "to repent". </p><p>Refusing to resign, Mr Silvester called for gay people to seek repentance from God, adding that he stood by his earlier comments in the Henley Standard. </p><p>Mr Silvester said: "Never was it my intention to insult the gay community and I certainly apologise to them if personal insult has been their perception." </p><p>"I have read that I am barmy to connect this to the weather – if that is the case then I am in good company," he said, citing senior bishops blaming floods on "abandonment" of bible teachings. </p><p>Mr Silvester said he was exercising his right to free speech by writing to the newspaper, which he claims held back his letter for three weeks and added his political and town council affiliations. </p><p>"I have had endless support from all over the country and the world and have the confidence to stand by every word I wrote," he said. </p><p>However, he conceded he will be "more circumspect" in his views in future.</p><p>13 14</p>