Augmenting Discussion Effectiveness through the Implementation of Thinking Routines to Visualize Learners’ Cognitive Processes

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of implementing thinking routines in a classroom setting to augment learners’ discussion proficiency. Adapting the theoretical framework proposed by Ron Ritchhart and his colleagues in their Visible Thinking Project, specifically focusing on three selected routines: See–Think–Wonder, Headlines, and Claim-Support-Question, this action study was conducted at an independent university in HCM City, Vietnam. The treatment was carried out in five direct meeting sessions with 35 intermediate English-level students in a communicative class. Data was collected through pre-while-post implementation aligning with interviews and observation. The results of this study reveal that these participants not only expanded their ideas to the given topic but also engaged in deeper questioning and exploring their peers’ arguments, thereby nurturing logical thinking and fostering a culture of self-directed learning beyond the classroom.