Thinking 'out loud' can externalise the thinking process. We can then sequence events and use this to help a child through a challenge or tricky learning problem.

Why?

Thinking 'out loud' enables us to visualise problems and tasks in a different way and enhances the visual system. The reasoning behind this is that vocalising enhances your brain’s processing ability, allowing you to more easily pull up the visual cues of what you're looking for (Lupyan & Swingley, 2012).

That is hard to fathom but put it this way: Muttering, “Beans, where are the beans?” to yourself at the supermarket is actually a useful cognitive tool to load a picture of tins of beans in your mind, and you will more quickly find the beans on the bottom shelf!

Instructional self-talk can help slow thoughts down. This helps them to be processed at a more manageable pace. Conversely, Motivational self-talk can mobilise and speed up our response.

In a way then, thinking aloud can externalise the thinking process. We can then sequence events and use this to help a child through a challenge or tricky learning problem. This information can be used as a tool to help children and young people to think. It can also reduce frustration when the answers to challenges or problems are not immediately apparent.

In practice

  • Teach children that as we speak out loud and talk ourselves through a problem or challenge we slow our thinking down. It also changes the parts of the brain being used to work on the problem (brings in our visual processing and shifts us out of ‘right-brain’ mode).
  • Model to children as you teach or as you support them (or work with them in small groups): ‘I'm just going to think out loud here to see if this will help me’ Then sequence what you are doing out loud … Be enthusiastic about finding possible solutions together.
  • Model vocalised self-motivation - “I can do this if I stay motivated and don’t give up.”