Philosophy

Think about seven-year-olds learning at school and what comes to mind? Lessons on literacy or numeracy? Simple ICT skills? How does a discussion about a puzzle devised by the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus grab you?

Strange as it sounds, the idea of introducing philosophy for seven-year-olds or even younger children seems to be gaining credence, following a recent study from Dundee University which suggests that this method of learning can raise a child's IQ and improve their emotional intelligence. This interview with practitioner Peter Worley gives an insight as to how this style of teaching is implemented.

For further reading, try looking at the articles below which were written by members of the Dundee research team. The first can be located by logging into Athens and searching the IngentaConnect database, the second is available in Summer Row Library in hard copy.

Trickey, S & Topping, K.J. (2004) Philosophy for Children: A Sytematic Review. Research Papers in Education. Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 365-380.

Trickey, S & Topping, K.J. (2007) Collaborative Philosophical Enquiry for School Children: Cognitive Effects at 10-12 Years. British Journal of Educational Psychology. Vol. 77, No. 2, pp. 271-288.