For teachers and coaches
Thinking aloud together
10 minutes · all levels · you demonstrate
What the children learnthey hear how to find a move and check it. Then they do it themselves straight away. Good for starting a new topic.
What you needtwo similar exercises, same topic but a different position. On your Planning sheet, for exercise 1, is a move that looks good but is wrong – and why.
How it goes
- Say: “You will hear me thinking. I will stop so you can think with me.”1 minute
- Think aloud: “I see … So I try …” Pause: 40 seconds each child thinks alone, 20 seconds they whisper with their partner. Two children answer.3 minutes
- Play the wrong move. Show how the opponent refutes it.2 minutes
- Show the right solution and the opponent’s best reply. The children say: “The move works because …”1 minute
- The children solve exercise 2 alone. Then you show the solution, and everyone corrects.3 minutes
Level 1 and 2
the children see the exercise in the workbook. You play the moves at the front.
From Level 3
show the position at the front. Before each new idea, put the pieces visibly back.
Tip
after two sentences at the latest, ask the children a question. You see whether the exercise worked from exercise 2.
In a large class
after the thinking pause (step 2), children from the Listening list answer.