INTELLECTUAL GAMES AS A METHOD OF DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING GEOGRAPHY

Abstract

The article highlights the methodical aspects of using intellectual games in the process of teaching geography with the aim of developing students’ critical thinking. Emphasis is placed on the fact that critical thinking is one of the most important competencies that is formed in the New Ukrainian School. Intellectual games are considered as one of the most effective methods of developing critical thinking, which allows not only to increase the motivation of students’ educational and cognitive activities, but also to teach them to think outside the box.The state of coverage in scientific and methodological publications and pedagogical literature of the problem of using intellectual games in the educational process of basic and high school in general and in the process of teaching geography, in particular, is analyzed. The didactic significance is revealed, the main forms of intellectual games and methodical features of their application in the process of teaching geography are characterized. Special attention is paid to the method of organizing and conducting such forms of intellectual games as “What? Where?When?”, “Brain-ring”, quizzes. It is noted that intellectual games in geography lessons can act as a separate teaching method or as a form of conducting a non-standard lesson. The experience of the authors in conducting such games in the process of teaching geography is highlighted. Specific examples of various types of tasks for intellectual geography games are given and the logic of finding answers to them is outlined. It was concluded that the use of intellectual games in geography lessons helps students to free themselves from the influence of template methods of solving problems and is a necessary condition for the development of analytical skills and critical thinking in students.