How to improve analytical skills

[Milkshake3]

Hi. How can I help my DS improve his analytical skills. He is year 7 just starting the common entrance syllabus. The leap from year 6 regurgitation is big and he needs help improving his ability to analyse data and manipulate information. He can learn facts and repeat them, but is having more trouble with the questions where you have to draw out and explain the facts and provide justification for your arguments.

Any ideas? Or maybe they will just develop over time. Do you have experience of this?

Thank you.

I'm afraid that I have no knowlwdge of CE so I don't know how useful this suggestion is, but have you looked at any books by Edward de Bono? In particular his six hats theory.

Also, for general usefulness in tackling life's problems, does he know this checklist of questions-to-ask as summarised in Kipling's verse:

I keep six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.

Thanks Senua for your post. I will read the link.

Asking him to justify statements he makes will help encourage him to think analytically. Asking 'but WHY do you like it/ think he said that/ etc', and demonstrating how he can answer intelligently, will teach him to detect inference and hidden meaning as well as forcing him to engage with the topic. With enough verbal practise he should begin applying this skill to his academic work.

Work on getting him to talk about cause and effect of everything he does, and get him to talk through all his decisions (however minor).

Building on others' comments: in all subjects with any written content, get him to remember PEE (should appeal to his sense of humour) - Point, Evidence, Explain. Three sentences in a para max at this point (more later): what point does he want to make, what's the evidence in the passage/what he knows already that supports it, then a brief explanation.

For discursive essays, a diagram of a sunrise or a spider can help: main theme in the middle, then the point you want to begin with, go round the sunrise rays (if that makes sense) or the spider's legs, then the final one is your conclusion.

For reaching a conclusion a chart with pros and cons. Agree with Bonsoir - anything will help. for example choosing a new bike or a new camera - price, brand, gears, types of tyres;, model / type - compact/bridge; zoom, wide angle, etc. Or choosing between an expensive new electronic game and last year's equivalent.

If poetry, there's some really helpful stuff on the web about how best to address it.

HTH

Thank you everyone for your very good suggestions. He used to ask me "why?" a lot as a 2year old....time to get my own back!