6 Thinking Hats Strategy in Teaching English Literature

For Teachers : Using 6 Thinking Hats Strategy in Teaching English Literature

If you ask students to think about something, they are often at a loss to do so, however, the 6 Thinking Hats method can allow students to explore a subject using the framework of the hats so that their perceptual powers are quickly expanded.  The students are able to think more richly and more comprehensively about their subjects and forces them to move outside of their habitual thinking styles while obtaining a more rounded view of a situation.

Problems within a subject can be solved using all approaches of the 6 Thinking Hats opening up the opportunity for creativity, especially in students who are persistently pessimistic.  It enables rational students to look at problems from a more emotional, intuitive and creative point of view or from a negative point of view.  Conversely it enables emotional students to look at decisions more calmly and rationally.

 6 Thinking Hats strategy can be put into practice for teaching English Literature by asking the students to analyse a novel using the different styles of thinking as follows:

6 THINKING HATS

     ANALYSIS OF A NOVEL

White Hat

Information & Facts

  •   List the facts you learned from the book
  •   Describe the characters, setting & plot
Yellow Hat

Good Points

  •   What were the interesting parts of the story?
  •   What are the positive aspects of the story?
Black Hat

Negative Points

  •   List what is wrong with plans made by a character in a book
  •   What were some of the main problems encountered by the main characters?
  •   How/why did these occur?
Green Hat

Creativity

  •   Design something new for a character from your book
  •   Solve a problem a character has
  •   Read a new book to the students but don’t show the title.
  •  Get the students to brainstorm a list of new titles for the book.
Red Hat

Emotions

  •   How did the feelings of the main character change throughout the story?
  •   How do you feel about the story?
  •   Keep a red hat reading record of all books read on the same topic
Blue Hat

Planning Reflection

  •   How has reading this novel contributed to your understanding of the subject?
  •   If  you had written the novel, what would you have done differently?

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