Using the ways of developing critic judgement for pupils with visual handicapquintet

The critic judgement is a superior way of thinking which develops the ability of right,
coherent, logical, based on strong arguments, ways of streamline.
A critic and constructive way of thinking, proofs I. Al. Dumitru means:
"supporting or rejecting some opinions using rational, strong arguments, to doubt
with the purpose of getting new arguments that will strengthen or, on the
contrary, weaken your own beliefs, to analyse or evaluate any personal or new
idea."(Dumitru, 2000)
The critic judgement is a superior way of showing the thought, which
synthesizes and integrates aspects and procedures of other ways of thinking.
The capacity of thinking in a critic way is acquired in time, allowing students to
manifest spontaneous, with no restraints, every single time there is a learning situation. They
don't have to fell shy or to be afraid of what others may think of their opinions, to trust their
own analysis and thought.
The methods of developing the critic way of thinking have been promoted in Romania
since 1997, through the educational project called: "Reading and Writing for Developing the
Critic Way of Thinking".
According to the initiators of the project ((] Steele, J. L., Meredith, K. S., Temple, Ch.,
1998) to have a critic thought means: "taking ideas, examin what they involve under a
constructive skepticism, to balance them with opposed points of view, to build systems of
arguments to support , give them steadiness and to take a side based on these structures."
These methods promote a teaching-learning environment in which the student are able to
contextualize their knowledge, adding new information besides what they already know, and
to be involved in the process of learning. This program has a lot of benefits both for the
teachers and students: for teachers is represents a reliance in the making of didactic activities
which promote the critic thought and the learning through cooperation, as for the students it is
a way of helping them to learn to cooperate with their classmates, to make argumentative
opinions, to synthesize ideas coming from different sources.
One of the methods of developing the critic way of thinking is the method of the
quintet. In using this method during the classes we had with the students with visual handicap
we started from the idea that as the perceptual experience of the blind becomes enriched and
more alive and as the thought and language is developed, it is possible to combine the
imagination with the creation.
Through this method we offered our students the possibility of becoming " little
poets", to pass their own ideas and feelings through poetry.
The quintet is a reflection technique which consists in creating five lyrics by obeying
five rules in order to summarise the content of a given theme. The quintet is a poem with five
lyrics.
The firs lyric - consists in a single word which names the subject. The second lyric has two words which define the characteristics of the subject (two adjectives). The third lyric
- consist in three words which express actions (gerund verbs). The fourth lyric - has four

words which show our attitude towards the subject. The fifth lyric - consist in a word which
shows the essential characteristic of the subject. (Breben, S and contributors)
The benefits of this method consist in the fact that it develops youth critic thought,
practicing the memory and imagination, expressing the capacity of understanding,
summarising, humour.
We also used several exercices to enhance their thinking and develop their creativity.
Some of these exercices are: The talkinf flower - in one word say what friendship is to you;
The rocky friend - ofering students samples of rocks. Each student picks a rock a imagines it
is its best friend. Then he/she carefully observes its traits in order to memorise them. The
rocks are then mingled and students have to get back their "friend". The hand - the name of a
child is written on a drawing representing a hand. The other members of the group have to
write on each of the fingers a positive characteristic of their classmate.
Below we will show you some examples of quintets made by children and hopefully
you will also use this creative method:
Spring

Friend

Young, blossoming

Kind, forgiving

Warming,

burgeoning, Understanding,advising,

reviving

working

Delights me, enchants me

Always be your side

Joy.

Help.

Autumn

Fox

Loved, expected

Red, cunning

Gathering, reaping, cheering

Seaking, deceiving, tricking

It's the season of rich crops (in

Deceived the bear

Romanian this lyric has 5

Cunning.

words)
Wealthy.

REFERENCES

1. Breben, S, Gongea E, Ruiu, G., Fulga, M. Group interactive ways

Methodic guide, Publisher Arves
2. Dumitru, I., -The developing of critic way of thinking and efficient learning,
West publisher, Timisoara , 2000

3. Steel, J., Meredith, K.S., Temple, Ch., The reading and writing for
developing critic way of thinking , issue I and issue II, 1998
4. Steel, J., Meredith, K.S., Temple, Ch., - Promoting the critic thought , Guide
II, The project: reading and writing for developing critic way of thinking ,
1998