- Definition
Thought tracking" is when a teacher gently taps a student on the shoulder during an activity, like acting, to help them think about what their character is feeling or thinking inside, even if it's not obvious from the outside. This helps the student understand and show deeper emotions.
A child acting out a scene as a happy king might share the inner thought, 'I'm worried my crown will fall off.'
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Thought tracking is like pressing a 'pause' button on a character in a play to hear their secret thoughts.
Ask your child: What do you think this character is really thinking right now?
Common mix-up: Kids might think acting is just about showing an emotion on the outside. Thought tracking is about discovering the character's secret inner feelings, which might even be different from how they look.
Examples
- In a frozen picture of a birthday party, a child looking excited might share the thought, 'I hope everyone likes my cake.'
- While pretending to be a shy animal in a forest scene, a child shares the thought, 'I'm scared of that loud noise.'
thought tracking is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
