Enhancing Higher Order Thinking Skills in a Sri Lankan English Medium Instructi on Science Classroom: An Acti on Research

Abstract

This interventi onist acti on research aimed to enhance Higher-Order-Thinking Skills (HOTs) which are essenti al for the 21st- century to face unprecedented challenges. The parti cipants were Grade eight students who learn Science through English Medium Instructi on (EMI) in a Sri Lankan public school. The study also aimed to address the examinati on-oriented mindset that prioriti zes memorizati on over criti cal thinking, and scaff olding language gaps. The pre-interventi on questi onnaires and pre-tests revealed that students grapple with higher-order questi ons and primarily rely on lowerorder thinking. To address this, “What If” questi oning and “Noti ce and Wonder” techniques were adopted in collaborati ve group work over fi ve 40-minute lessons to sti mulate curiosity and encourage deeper cogniti ve engagement necessitati ng peer feedback, consciousness-raising, and co-constructi on of knowledge. The study combined quanti tati ve stati sti cal analysis of test scores with qualitati ve themati c analysis of student percepti ons about their experiences elicited through questi onnaire responses and corroborated through teacher refl ecti on. Results demonstrated a signifi cant improvement in students’ use of HOTs, also evidenced by increased post-test scores and student self-refl ecti ve feedback. Students reported enhanced engagement, moti vati on, and confi dence in tackling complex problems, showing the eff ecti veness of the interventi on in initi ati ng, and developing a more analyti cal/curious mindset. The fi ndings suggest that incorporati ng these pedagogical strategies into the curriculum can eff ecti vely shift focus from rote memorizati on to criti cal thinking, bett er preparing students for 21stcentury challenges. This study contributes valuable insights into eff ecti ve pedagogical approaches for developing HOTs in secondary science educati on, with potenti al implicati ons for curriculum development and teaching practi ces in similar educati onal contexts.