Developing higher order thinking skills using maps in mathematics.

Development of skills in mathematics and science is vital for learning as it allows children to progress. Reading maps is one skills that can be developed through mathematics it also increases children’s higher order thinking skills and it allows children to problem solve and think critically. Higher order thinking skills allows children to understand something. Through map reading in particular this understanding can then be applied into real life situations and therefore it is something the children are more likely to remember how to do it.

When children are map reading  it embales them to look at shapes and symbols and apply this to measurements and distance. Map reading encorporates all these different skills. To begin a child may only understand how to so minimal things with the map like understand the symbols- however through progression there skills will further develop to allow the child to draw upon there previous knowledge and skills and the child is able to create there own map.

It is important that we teach children how to read maps effectivetly and this website has some good ideas on how to teach map reading to children https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/education-research/teaching-resources/map-reading-leaflets.html .

Many teachers however do not always chose to teach map reading skills to children as they are not sure how to incorporate mathematics into map reading. However, they do coincide as mathematics is found in maps when distances are being read. In addition to this there are also things like reading bus timetables or train timetables that can be brought into these sessions.

Therefore map reading skills produce higher order thinking skills and allow progression that helps children apply there learning to real life situations.