What are Critical thinking skills? Well, in a nutshell, critical thinking skills help you determine what is valid information and what isn’t. For example, take a person who doesn’t believe in global warming. They might throw away every piece of evidence that proves that theory. They might even reject the idea that there is a warming, or they might point to their own tree in the yard that bears fruit when there isn’t one. In the end, though, they have no problem telling you that global warming is a myth, and that they don’t care about it.
This person has poor critical thinking skills, because they refuse to see something as being an actual fact. If you ask them a question, they give you the standard answer: “I don’t believe it.” They use logic and do their best to avoid answering the question that you ask. They have absolutely no conception of the reality that surrounds them.
This is the person that you would want to engineer a mission to find out the truth. You need to study hard, and be consistent in your efforts. Once you master critical thinking skills, you will be able to see all the evidence that is before you. It will be all around you, within your head and your heart.
This is what you need to be able to do if you want to study for the critical thinking skills required to pass the ISEEFL or IESEEFL exam. Of course, the real test comes once you have sat for the exam. Then you will know for certain whether or not you are capable of critical thinking. Not just competent enough to pass, but able to learn and apply what you have learned during the course of your studies.
The first step is learning how to think critically. Once you know this, you will have the tools necessary to apply the tools of critical thinking to your everyday life. You will find that what you thought you couldn’t do, can actually be done. You will also realize that what you thought you knew absolutely has to be changed.
The second step is learning to do this skill with an open mind. Often, students set out to learn critical thinking skills without having an open mind. And, as a result, they discover that they are quite limited in their options. They are stuck in the box, they created before even thinking about going out into the world with their ideas. It is amazing how much resistance they face from others who think they already know what they want to achieve.
Critical thinking skills training class should open your mind to all sorts of possibilities. You might discover that what you have always suspected has been true all along. Or, it could lead you to a whole new set of goals and ways of approaching life that you never thought possible. Either way, you will develop your critical thinking skills and enjoy enhancing them in every aspect of your life.
One thing to keep in mind is that you may not feel confident in a certain area right now. If you can think of something better, then you should do so. But, never get carried away with perfectionism. Remember, no one was born perfect and you certainly aren’t expected to be perfect at anything we do or decide on. Just focus on improving your critical thinking skills as part of your overall self improvement.
Of course, critical thinking isn’t only about deciding what to do or what shouldn’t be done. It also includes the attitudes you have towards the approach you decide to take. Are you prepared to be open to all possibilities or are you stiff and inflexible? Are you ready to walk away if the course of action doesn’t work out as you planned? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before taking the final exam.
Remember, your answers will determine your grade. So, pay attention and try to get it right every time. You want to be able to show your classmates and your teacher that you have not only acquired critical thinking skills, but you have also gotten some practice in using those skills. Now go take the HESI exam and do it well.
