THE ROLE OF NON-STANDARD TASKS IN DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Аннотация

This scientific article explores the development of critical thinking in primary school students. It provides an overview of key concepts, emphasizes the importance of integrating critical thinking into educational programs, and investigates how teachers perceive and implement critical thinking practices. The paper highlights the significance of non-standard tasks infostering creativity and logical reasoning among young learners. Keywords: Critical thinking, psychologists and philosophers, Brussels, “non-critical thinking,” creativity, educational tasks. Introduction. Critical thinking is widely recognized as essential for shaping students’ cognitive abilities and strengthening educational systems. For children, critical thinking involves reasoning based on facts, accepting open-minded and inquisitive thinking, and making informed judgments. This skill allows them to evaluate different perspectives and make logical conclusions independently. Solving non-standard tasks is directly linked to creativity and plays a key role in developing students’ logical reasoning. Particularly in subjects like mathematics, the ability to solve problems forms thebackbone oflearning, requiring well-structured and intensivework. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated: “Critical analysis, strict discipline, and personal responsibility should become the daily rule of every leader’s activity.” If we begin instilling critical analysis skills in students from a young age, they are more likely to grow into competent and capable professionals who will contribute significantly to the country’s future. Importance ofIntegrating Critical Thinkingin Education To effectively develop students' critical thinking, educational curricula must be redesigned to include more practical, activity-based learning. Although educators, psychologists, and philosophers generally agree on the importance of critical thinking, there is still no consensus on how to define and implement it in practice. The main objective of this research is to study how primary school teachers understand the concept of critical thinking and how they incorporate it intotheirprofessional teaching environment. According to teachers, the following are key traits of critical thinkers: the ability to address various cultural issues, work collaboratively, and express analytical and open-minded thought. Classroom practices such as creating mind maps, facilitating group discussions, and promoting activelearning help nurture critical thinking. However, many teachers acknowledge that their practical experience with critical thinking strategies remains limited. During teacher training, some educators are introduced to project- based learning and the use of philosophy for children (P4C) as a method to promote critical http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 910 Volume 15Issue 06, June 2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 thinking. They also stress the need for peer learning and sharing best practices to improve teachertraining. Critical thinking thrives in environments where the diversity of ideas is respected and encouraged. It cannot occur in a rigid mindset that accepts only one “correct” answer. Critical thinking is not a skill that can be taught once and forgotten; it requires continuous reinforcement insuitablelearning environments. Conditionsfor Developing CriticalThinking To support the development of critical thinking in students, the following conditions should be met:  Providetimeand opportunityto practicecritical thinking.  Create spaces where studentscan express their thoughts freely.  Encourage acceptance ofdiverse ideas and viewpoints.  Promotestudent engagement inlearning activities.  Assurestudents that theiropinions willnot be mocked orridiculed.  Foster self-confidence and belief in theirabilityto think critically.  Valuethe emergenceof independent thought. As aresult, students are more likelyto:  Gain confidence and valuetheir ownideas.  Actively participate inclassroom activities.  Listen attentively todifferent viewpoints.  Form theirown judgments. Misconceptions About Critical Thinking Before exploring what constitutes critical thinking, it is important to understand what it is not. One common misconception is equating memory with critical thinking. While memory is a necessary cognitive skill, it alone does not indicate critical thinking. Computers, for instance, havesuperior memory capabilities butlack thereasoning skillsassociated with critical thought. Many educators still place greater emphasis on rote memorization, especially when it comes to exams and assessments. In contrast, critical thinking involves deeper cognitive processes such as evaluation, reasoning, andinnovation. Another related process often mistaken for critical thinking is comprehension. For example, a student trying to understand a complex theorem is engaged in challenging mental work. However, this alone is not cri