Teachers interaction style in the classroom and cognitive development: The Cognitive Mobilization Patterns (PMC).

Abstract

Data presented here has been carried obtained within a broader study related to the thinking skills programme Comprehending and Transforming (C4T). Three groups of school-age children that participated in this intervention with differing positive pretest-postst gains were included. We hypothesized that it is the teachers' different interaction style in the classroom that explains the different results of each group. In order to confirm this, an observation instrument was developed and 26 programme videotaped sessions were analysed. Results are in agreement with the idea that certain aspects of interaction (which we call Cognitive Mobilizing Patterns) are relevant for the stimulation of thinking skills. Conclusions point to the need to incorporate these patterns in the training of persons responsible for the implementation of C4T.