IMPROVING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS THROUGH LESSON STUDY RESULTS

Abstract

Nowadays Kazakhstani education is experiencing changes aimed at achieving global standards. Critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving have become the most required skills of the 21st century. This study attempted to understand whether or not the results of Lesson Study can help to develop Kazakhstani secondary schools students’ Higher Order Thinking skills. Due to this fact many schools are concerned with bringing 21st century skills, particularly HOTS into the classrooms. However, not all the teachers are aware of the importance of HOTS and those who are aware in most cases do not know how to promote HOTS in the classroom. Lesson study model is very helpful in this case for understanding and catering for students’ needs, which in turn may help develop students' HOTS.

 In order to achieve this goal, two research questions were created such as the ways of responding to educational needs of mixed ability EFL learners when providing HOTS activities; and to what extent Lesson Study approach influences HOTS integrated English language classrooms. The theoretical framework was based on the works of major researchers in HOTS and LS spheres such as Bloom, Anderson & Krathwohl and P. Dudley. Qualitative data collection methods such as observation and interview were selected to conduct the research. The results showed that Lesson Study has a positive effect on learners’ HOT skills, as well as having a positive effect on pre-service teachers’ professional development. The research paper is one of the few that were conducted in Kazakhstan concerning the Lesson Study approach and can contribute to other pre-service or in-service teachers’ investigations in this field by providing some insights on how to conduct HOTS integrated lessons driven by Lesson Study results.