Higher Order Thinking Skills are essentail for today's learners. All learners can benefit from applying what they have learned and comprehending it at a deeper level. When your child is telling you something, have them always PROVE their answer. In the classroom they know I want to hear the word "because" during partner talk ,discussions, or in their writing. It is ESSENTIAL a child does not just memorize, but understands WHY something is the way it is.