There are some common myths related to critical thinking and assessment. Many people believe that it’s impossible to assess critical thinking, especially in classes where language is limited. However, it can be done! Here, the key to success is crafting tasks and rubrics that allow you to separate language skills and cognitive skills. After all, a low language level doesn’t necessarily reflect your student’s ability to think critically.
So, how can we measure how a student knows rather than just what they know?
Well, we first have to consider two types of assessment—formal and informal. Formal assessments tend to happen at the end of a task, lesson or skill-building activity and usually focus on the work the student has produced. Then, we have informal assessments. Those are the assessments that involve on-the-spot interactions. These types of assessments play a crucial role in measuring critical thinking.
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There is a common misconception that assessment should only focus on the final work that your students produce. The final ‘product’ is undeniably important and often an ideal measure of linguistic abilities. But the process of producing the final work is where you can see your students’ critical thinking skills in action.
When designing rubrics to measure both language and critical thinking, make sure that you only focus on one at a time—either language or critical thinking. Keeping these different skills in mind will help you to differentiate language skills and critical thinking skills, and evaluate them separately, when it comes to formal assessment.
When measuring language skills, use Bloom’s early or foundational cognitive domains as a model:
If we measure these items, we are really measuring language skills. For example, with a reading activity, we might ask the following questions:
Can they understand the overall organization and the key vocabulary? These types of questions assess a student’s linguistic ability.
Then, when it comes to critical thinking, the more advanced levels of Bloom’s cognitive domains provide a useful guide:
These types of questions assess a student’s metacognition or critical thinking:
The clear separation of language and critical thinking in assessment will help you to get a measure of each student’s progress in both skills.
What about those informal assessments? It can be harder to delineate critical thinking and language skills clearly in an on-the-spot assessment.
For example, if you’ve assigned group work, consider keeping a checklist of how students interact with one another. Some checklist items can be:
You can also ask your students to keep a checklist and post these questions on an electronic bulletin board. Like self-assessment, these peer-to-peer assessments can get students reflecting and noticing.
Rubrics can also be useful in informal assessment. Let’s say you’ve asked students to prepare or write an essay. To measure critical thinking, you can look at each student’s ideation process when they’ve been working on their essays:
The answers to these questions will tell you whether or not your students are thinking critically.
Just like with any other skills, the assessment of critical thinking needs to happen both formally and informally. We need to consider both the process and the final product. And in doing so, we need to carefully design rubrics that differentiate language skills and metacognition.
Food is not just a means of nutrition; it can be a vibrant part of a culture's identity. English cuisine, influenced by its history, boasts a range of interesting and sometimes puzzling food names (some even puzzling native English speakers).ÌýLet's explore the stories behind some of the most well-known English food names.
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Studying at a UK university can be an amazing experience, but it comes with financial obligations. If you're thinking about studying abroad, it's essential to thoroughly research the cost of living in the UK and create a budget that works for you.
We’ve created a simple guide to help you get an idea what to think about when it comes to researching the living expenses in the UK for international students. To make sure you're prepared before you head off to the UK.
As you prepare for your trip abroad, there are various expenses you'll have to pay for before leaving your country. These one-time expenses include fees for a UK student visa, university fees for international students, and course materials.
Although these costs can be significant, it's important to include them in your budgeting.
After moving to the UK, you will have regular expenses to take care of such as rent, transportation, household and phone bills. These expenses remain consistent throughout the year and can be easily planned for.
As an international student in the UK, you may face various living expenses that can vary based on your individual circumstances.
For example, If you often travel on weekends or spend a lot of time going out with your friends, it's best to overestimate those expenses.
It's important to consider your expenses for socializing, shopping for clothes, and pursuing hobbies. If you have a limited budget, it's crucial to monitor these expenses closely.
If you're planning to study in the UK, keep in mind that the cost of living will depend on your location. Living in a big city versus a small town can result in significantly different accommodation costs.
For instance, the average one-bedroom rental can range from £1100 in a smaller city like Oxford to £1,695 in metropolitan London.
If walking isn't an option for you, then you should consider budgeting for transportation. In Glasgow, a monthly pass for public transportation costs £63, while in Manchester, it will cost you £74.
If you're someone who likes to stay active and exercise, you may also need to account for workout costs. Even with student discounts, joining the university gym in Cambridge will cost students about £35 per month, compared to £22 at the on-campus facilities in Leeds.
Before deciding where to study, it's important to research the cost of living in different cities and regions to ensure it fits within your budget due to the variation in costs.
Do you know any international students who have studied at the university you plan to attend? Or is there a student organization you can contact for information?
Reaching out to current students can provide insight into their daily expenses and they might even offer great tips on where to find good deals or places to avoid.
The cost of student housing varies based on the type of accommodation you prefer. Are you interested in living on campus, renting your own place, or sharing with fellow students off campus? Most schools provide comprehensive details about housing options, including contact information for potential roommates, landlords, or homestay families.
To help with budgeting as a student in the UK, you can use a like the one provided by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).
The calculator also offers the convenience of selecting your school from a list for accurate local costs.
With all these expenses, a bit of extra income would be helpful for any student. One possible way to supplement your finances during your studies is through tutoring. You can consider tutoring children or your fellow students at the university. It's important to note that international students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the school year while on a student visa.
Your university's career center can assist you in finding part-time work opportunities, especially if you are looking to gain experience in your field of study. Maybe you're looking to work in a pub or restaurant to improve your English skills and experience the local culture.
Scholarships are available for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies, either directly from universities or through government initiatives. Non-EU nationals seeking postgraduate studies can apply for .
Although it may seem overwhelming, estimating your cost of living only requires a few calculations. Simply add up your fixed and variable expenses, as you would if you were living in your home country.
As a helpful reference, we have provided an example of a monthly budget for a student living in Nottingham. The budget is calculated using average spending data obtained from a UK student budget calculator.
Item |
Cost |
Rental apartment |
£385 |
Transportation (monthly pass with student discount) |
£49 |
Utility bills (electricity, gas, water, etc) |
£46 |
Gym membership (university gym) |
£23 |
Phone and internet |
£27 |
Grocery shopping |
£73 |
Bank fees |
£30 |
Clothes and personal items |
£50 |
Takeaway and eating out |
£70 |
Total |
£753 |
It's common to come across discounts for students, like deals on food at campus eateries, special phone plans, or lower prices at certain shops and restaurants.
Don't miss out on these opportunities and make sure to ask about them. Keep in mind that this budget doesn't cover expenses for shopping or hobbies, so take those into account based on your individual situation.
If you're able to work while studying abroad, it can help ease some of the financial strain.
There are lots of regarding financing and budgeting whilst abroad so make sure to do your research and check them out.
Thinking of studying abroad? Trying to find the best way to study in Canada? There are so many options/pathways that it can feel overwhelming and complicated.
Thankfully, there is a simple and efficient way, called the Student Direct Stream (SDS). It is well-known that studying in Canada is a popular option among overseas students.
The latest figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for 2022 show that Canada has achieved an all-time high in terms of the number of international students. By the end of October 2022, they had processed over 750,300 study permit applications.
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