Critical thinking skills allow you to understand and address situations based on all available facts and information. Cognitive flexibility has been described as the mental ability to switch between thinking about two different concepts, and to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. You wouldn't automatically assume other people would love it as much as you, without testing that assumption. I suggest that you select your terminology carefully. You can get an email alert whenever Dr. Alice Boyes writes a new blog article - Subscribe. Flexible Thinking Problem Solving Perspective Taking Communication & Conversation Skills ... Then we discuss examples of how to be flexible in different situations, like while playing a board game, or getting ready for bed with your sibling, or doing a craft with someone. Flexible thinkers can recognize this as a belief and that it doesn't apply in every situation. For example, a child with ASD may not understanding “raining cats and dogs” as raining heavily. This resource activity includes various problem solving activities and handouts that promote cognitive flexibility which allow students to build and strengthen these skills . Schedule changes make them anxious or angry. Each deck contains 22 real life scenarios for students to read and/or listen to and decide if the thinking is rigid or flexible. Think of some in-between possibilities, if you can This shows them there are options and can cut down on anxiety. What is Flexible Thinking? Kids who struggle with it might argue the same point over and over or get anxious when plans change. This website provides information of a general nature and is Th An evaluation can lead to supports for kids who struggle with flexible thinking and other executive skills. Can Optimistic and Pessimistic Employees Work Well Together. Or see that a strategy they used for one type of math problem can work with another. You should be able to demonstrate that you can integrate new information and draw conclusions from it, and that you can switch from the detail to the big picture. Getting frustrated when even small things go wrong, Struggling to take on new, more complicated tasks, Having trouble switching from one activity to another, Getting upset when others don’t follow rules. Are you wondering how to develop flexible thinking in children? For example, kids may not understand that some words have two meanings. Then, I remembered I had to go to a meeting at school. I had to be flexible and change my plan.” ⦁ “My brain is stuck thinking … Alice Boyes, Ph.D., translates principles from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and social psychology into tips people can use in their everyday lives. Kids who struggle with flexible thinking don’t respond that way to problems. One is to break down tasks into smaller chunks. For example, if your partner doesn't take out the trash despite reminders, are they dispositionally inconsiderate or are they absentminded currently due to stress they're experiencing at work? A new theory aims to make sense of it all. In his book Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Constantly Changing World, Leonard Mlodinow confirms that the speed of technological and cultural development is requiring us to embrace types of thinking besides the rational, logical style of analysis that tends to be emphasized in our society. Some of the worksheets for this concept are Flexible thinking, Unit 8 flexible and stuck thinking, Social thinking concepts, Superflex extra handouts, 81 fresh fun critical thinking activities, Thinking for a change, Executive functioning across the lifespan older adults, Open minded thinking. These kids struggle with a skill called flexible thinking. Typically, using critical thinking at work involves processing and organizing facts, data and other information to define a problem and develop effective solutions. Actor #2 really wants to be red in the game. This bundle contains both my "Rigid vs Flexible Thinking" boom decks. It can also give them specific steps to follow. But, what is flexible thinking? Kids who have trouble with flexible thinking often get stuck on an activity or idea. Imagine going to the movies and finding out the one you want to see is sold out. There was an issue submitting your email address. Slow processing speed can also play a role in being able to quickly switch gears and think of solutions. Reframing your thoughts is essential to adapting this mentality. Flexible thinkers can see how both types of explanations can contribute to behaviors. First, because our subjects fail to Flexible thinking is a skill that enables us to work through challenges and allows us to come up with ways to tackle problems. It is worthwhile spending time writing statements like this about all your experiences and then adapting them to match each recruiters’ specific requirements. Browse our entire webinar collection and discover strategies to help people of all ages develop social competencies, self-regulation, social skills, social-emotional understanding, flexible thinking, and more! Below is a list of 20 realistic lateral thinking puzzles designed to flex your brain and test your critical thinking skills. Similar to physical flexibility, mental or psychological flexibility requires challenging the mind to go beyond its typical range of motion. Flexible thinking is the ability to take another's perspective and adapt to changes gracefully. It's important that you don't assume that your way of looking at something is the way everyone looks at it. My primary school groups are working on flexible thinking. Saved from autismteachingstrategies.com. Model how flexible thinking helps you cope with frustration, unexpected events, unreasonable demands, or moments demanding delayed gratification. Review our privacy policy. Adaptability is a critical quality that employers seek in early 21st-century employees. color of an object) to another (e.g. Conditions. Recognizing that thoughts and feelings often don't last. Flexible Thinking Helps with Imagination! Pass around the rock. You need to be able to think straight for a moment. Kids who struggle with flexible thinking often have trouble coping with change. Some kids take it in stride. Educators: Explore classroom strategies that might help kids who struggle with executive function. It means we can shift our perspective and think about something in a completely different way. When you're flexible, you're versatile, resilient and responsive to change. It means stretching what you know enough to make an educated guess that could be right (and if it’s not, that’s okay). By Gareth Cook on March 21, 2018; Share on Facebook. Flexible thinking also allows your child to practice creativity and develop skills for meeting challenges in education and in life. Lateral thinking stories are also a great way to practice flexible thinking. For example, maybe lack of hearing back from someone indicates a problem, but maybe it doesn't. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. If you want to practice understanding common thinking biases, check this list. designed for information and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. ROLE PLAY # 3 Flexible versus Rock Thinking Lesson Skill to Practice: Discriminate and demonstrate flexible thinking versus rigid, egocentric “rock: thinking Scene: (read by the Director): You and a friend are getting ready to play the game, Cranium Cariboo. Sep 23, 2012 - printable scenario cards to use with flexible thinking lessons and rock brain. Creative thinking is the process of thinking in a flexible, flowing and original way. Share 4 Reasons to View Your Relationship from a New Perspective, One of the Most Contagious and Dangerous Attitude Biases. 1. Flexible thinkers also consider optimistic and pessimistic explanations for other people's behavior. It is considered an important element of strategy, problem solving and decision making that allows for a great breadth of possible solutions. "Is it flexible?" We’ve Got Depression All Wrong. Related: 6 Ways to Improve Critical Thinking at Work Or try the same strategy over and over, even if it’s not working. Many kids with ASD learning the social skill of flexibility might not have the capacity to learn and use words such as “rigidity,” flexibility,” “cooperate,” “compromise,” etc. Kids who struggle with flexible thinking might have trouble at home and at school. Social thinking provides the framework for my social skills groups. photo credit: dierk schaefer darkday geezaweezer cc. For example, if the recess bell rings and it is time to go in, a flexible thinker would think, "I wanted to swing some more, but I can swing again next recess." Flexible thinking, in contrast, allows us to have hope in the outcomes we desire, but it also prepares us to create multiple solutions, outcomes, or alternative thoughts. 5 Ways to Help Your Child with Autism Learn Flexible Thinking Children with autism are often frustrated with changes in their daily schedule, or the unexpected actions of another person. The situations are different. When assessing adaptability and flexibility, recruiters may look for someone who can show: Intellectual flexibility – keeping an open mind is important. If you are looking for a job where your employer embraces flexible working as part of the culture of the firm, then check out our list of companies that are really flexible: For more Even saying something out loud tends to help me with critical thinking. Help them learn how to switch gears quickly and find new solutions to problems when circumstances change without warning. These are stories that ask you to come up with a reason for what seems to be an impossible situation. Of course, travel is one way to challenge your way of thinking, but even just reading about moral dilemmas and thinking about them critically can help you develop in this area. Cognitive flexibility has been described as the mental ability to switch between thinking about two different concepts, and to think about multiple concepts simultaneously. Instead of reinforcing the rigid thinking patterns and scheduling you—and because they learn what we model—your child can fall into, you need to shake things up. Sep 23, 2012 - printable scenario cards to use with flexible thinking lessons and rock brain. Rapid technological advances, along with fast-paced changes in global markets and the political landscape, mean that today's workplaces are often unpredictable. • When coming up with options for an object, think of physical things to do as well as imaginative uses. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. • Use “descriptive feedback” with both parent and child during activities. Flexible thinking is an important part of creativity. I had to be flexible and change my plan.” ⦁ “My brain is stuck thinking … Feeling uncertain about something isn't necessarily a bad sign. It is about finding out what you need to know and problem solving. Take a look at the different types below, so you can see how you're doing in this area, and where you may be able to level up. The testing can also show exactly where kids are struggling and where they’re doing well. About Saga Briggs. At times, this interferes with kids’ lives, making them get “stuck” or triggering meltdowns when things don’t go as expected. The same applies when evaluating your own behavior. Likewise, hearing other people's perspectives can help me gain new insights and come up with better solutions." Many of them have kids who learn and think differently. Cognitive flexibility refers to the brain's ability to transition from thinking about one concept to another. Ask; "are they able to move it at all?" When you can see that other people look at situations different ways, it helps you not jump to inaccurate conclusions. The example above, for instance, could easily be altered to prove your problem-solving and decision making skills and could form the basis of an example of planning and organising. Here are some behaviors you might see at home and at school. Instead, they might freeze and do nothing. And they probably don’t know why. defined as the ability to switch one’s thinking (cognition) (or train of thought) as an adaptation to the demands of stimuli • Ask parent to talk “out loud” (so the child can hear) while doing daily chores about the choices the parent makes. They can picture where their new rooms are and how they’ll get from one to the next. In other words, they have little or no trouble seeing a different way of doing things. Consider the following examples and how you might talk out loud through the situation: ⦁ “My plan today was to take a walk outside. Flexible thinking is the ability to think of something in a new way while set shifting requires letting go of one rule to incorporate a new rule. Th This activity comes with a page explaining rigid And their challenges with finding different approaches to problems has a big impact on learning and everyday living. Flexible thinking recognizes that in the 21st century: Situations tend … Not putting too much weight on feeling certainty or uncertainty. Thinking flexibly means you understand how others are feeling. Kids use it to find ways to solve word problems and to understand that a phrase like “how many in all” means that addition is being used. Flexible versus Rock Thinking Lesson Skill to Practice: Discriminate and demonstrate flexible thinking versus rigid, egocentric “rock: thinking Scene: (read by the Director): Actor #1’s older brother has two friends sleeping over and they are watching a movie. Types of Inflexible Thinking. Explain What is Happening. Flexible Thinking and Language Learning. Flexible thinking is a key skill in math. We began this simple lesson with a simple drawing of a box and asked the kids what it was. Understood is a nonprofit initiative. We do not market to or offer services to individuals in the European Union. 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