Enhancing Senior High School Students’ Written Idea Articulation in English Using ‘THINKS’ as a Visible Thinking Routine

This action research assessed the effectiveness of the “THINKS routine” Visible Thinking Routine (VTR) in enhancing the written idea articulation skills of Grade 11 STEM (Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics) students at a public Senior High School in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. Using a mixed-methods design, the study combined pre- and post-test assessments with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Fourteen students, selected through purposive and convenience sampling, participated in a four-week intervention. Results revealed significant improvement in students’ articulation scores, progressing from “Satisfactory” to “Excellent.” The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test confirmed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test scores (p < 0.001). Qualitative findings indicated that THINKS enhanced critical thinking, organized thought processes, note-taking, supported writing tasks, and proved adaptable across subjects. However, challenges emerged, including limited time, lack of timely feedback, and the absence of formal validation for the THINKS routine—though the scoring rubric for idea articulation was validated. Despite this, the routine aligns with the core principles of VTRs particularly its focus on making thinking visible through structured, reflective practices. Future research should validate the routine, refine its components, incorporate teacher feedback, explore its applicability to diverse learners, and integrate it into digital platforms. Overall, THINKS demonstrated strong potential as a flexible and effective strategy for improving students’ ability to articulate ideas in writing.