This year, BSKL continues to take part in an international research collaboration with Harvard Project Zero as part of the DELTA (Developing Engaged Learners Through Transfer) Project. The aim of this work is simple: to better understand how students develop thinking skills and routines that last beyond individual lessons and subjects, and how schools can help those skills transfer to new situations, challenges, and ways of learning.
At BSKL, this work has been embedded particularly strongly within English and Media Studies, subjects that naturally encourage students to think deeply, question ideas, and explore different perspectives and interpretations. Through this project, teachers have been focusing not just on what students learn, but how they think - and how those ways of thinking can support them across their wider education and beyond.
A key focus of the DELTA project is helping students make connections between their learning across units and disciplines. In English Literature, for example, students may analyse novels, poems, or plays, but they are also developing skills that go far beyond one text: building arguments, selecting evidence, structuring ideas clearly, and considering alternative viewpoints. These are skills that students use across subjects, and crucially, beyond the classroom.
To support this, teachers have been using a range of thinking routines developed by Project Zero. These routines are short, structured activities that help students slow down and reflect on their thinking. They give students a clear starting point for discussion, help them explain their ideas with evidence, and encourage them to listen carefully to others. Over time, these routines become familiar tools that students can use independently when faced with challenging work.
In practical terms, this might look like students discussing a key moment in a text and being asked not only what they think, but why they think it. Students are encouraged to support their ideas with quotations, to challenge one another respectfully, and to refine their views as new ideas are introduced. This approach helps ensure that all students are actively involved in lessons and feel confident contributing their thoughts.
English Literature also plays an important role in helping students understand that there is rarely just one correct interpretation. Through studying texts from different cultures and historical periods, students are encouraged to see the world through different lenses. This develops empathy, open-mindedness, and the ability to appreciate complexity - qualities that are increasingly important in a rapidly changing world.
An important idea explored through the DELTA project is the value of sitting with uncertainty. Literature and media texts often raise difficult questions and do not offer straightforward answers. Rather than seeing this as frustrating, students are supported to see uncertainty as a normal and valuable part of learning. They learn that thoughtful responses take time, that ideas can change, and that deeper understanding often comes from asking better questions rather than rushing to conclusions.
This approach has a clear impact on students’ writing and analytical skills. By spending time discussing and refining ideas before writing, students are better prepared to structure essays, select relevant evidence, and explain their thinking clearly. Thinking routines act as a bridge between classroom discussion and written work, helping students develop confidence and independence as writers.
In Media Studies, students apply the same thinking skills to a wide range of texts, including films, advertisements, and digital media. This helps them recognise that critical thinking is transferable: the same skills used to analyse a poem can be applied to understanding how media messages are constructed and how audiences are influenced. Students begin to see that learning is connected, rather than divided into separate
