What is meant by ‘Thinking Like an Author’ and ‘Thinking Like a Problem Solver’?
Although ‘Thinking Like an Author’ and ‘Thinking Like a Problem Solver’ may sound like the names of particular techniques or skills that boys need to learn, they are better understood as ways of approaching unfamiliar questions and material.
Reading School’s current FSCE admissions guidance lists both phrases among the areas covered by the Adventure, Beacon, Compass and Discovery Papers. It is important for parents to note, however, that these are not particular papers or named subjects. In the most basic sense, ‘thinking like an author’ and ‘thinking like a problem solver’ both relate to how children make sense of something unfamiliar using what they already know, rather than how confidently they can remember specific facts or repeat a method they have practised before. This ties in with the introduction of the wider curriculum-based questions back in September 2025, which primarily assess how boys take in, assess, and respond to new information, rather than expecting them to have learned facts, figures and dates. The content and format of questions change, so children need to be able to read carefully and think about what each question is actually asking them to do.
Thinking like an author revolves around understanding how writers make choices based on the purpose of their writing. When reading, this might mean noticing why a writer has included a particular detail, chosen a certain word over another, revealed information in a particular order or written from one point of view rather than another. A child may need to infer what has been left unsaid, consider how a character or argument is being developed, or explain the effect that a choice has on the reader. Context is also important, as well as understanding the subtleties of how the same words could be interpreted differently by different people or in different situations. Engaging with the meaning of a text and considering how that meaning has been created helps both when it comes to writing creatively and analysing others’ work in comprehension-style pieces.
The same thinking can then be applied when a child writes. An author considers what needs to be communicated, who will read it and which form, register and tone are most appropriate. A persuasive article, diary entry, adventure story and poem or song all need to be approached differently, and strong writing therefore involves making choices for a reason, organising ideas clearly and adapting them to the task, rather than inserting rehearsed phrases or advanced vocabulary whether or not they fit.
Thinking like a problem solver is also broader than it may first appear. While it can be thought of in the context of mathematical problem-solving, it is not simply tied to long calculations or traditional word problems. A problem might involve interpreting a graph, following an unfamiliar set of instructions, comparing historical sources, applying scientific knowledge from a fact sheet to a new situation or deciding how a design could be improved. The important first step is to work out what is really being asked and which information matters. From there, a child may need to break this information into smaller parts, make connections with what he already knows, choose a sensible approach and check whether his answer makes sense. For example, instead of being asked ‘What is the lightest material that could be used to make a rucksack for a festival-goer?’ a child may be asked to read a blog written by someone who attended a festival and deduce what they found challenging, before coming to a conclusion that a lighter but stronger bag would be beneficial.
A confident problem solver isn’t necessarily the child who sees the answer immediately. It often means trying an approach, recognising that it hasn’t worked and changing direction without becoming flustered. Being able to explain why an answer is reasonable can be just as important as reaching it, as it can help to eliminate incorrect answers and narrow down the available choices. Flexible thinking becomes much easier when a child has a sound understanding of the underlying maths, language or subject content to draw upon.
Both concepts require children to pay attention, select relevant information, consider alternatives and communicate their thinking clearly. A question based on a scientific passage may require the careful reading we associate with thinking like an author, while selecting the most appropriate answer may involve the structured approach of a problem solver. The fundamentals of spelling may then be tested as before, when it comes to actually putting the answer onto the page in a free-response setting in the Beacon Paper. Thinking like an author and thinking like a problem solver shouldn’t therefore be treated as labels for two completely separate styles of question.
Our October 2025 and August 2026 focus groups reinforced the value of giving boys experience across a wide range of subjects, writing styles and source material. Boys told us that this variety had helped them feel comfortable with the questions they met in the real exam, clear about what was expected of them and considerably less nervous than they had been before their first mock.
Both ways of thinking are encouraged through everyday conversations and experiences, without turning them into formal preparation. A conversation about a book, play or film can explore why a character behaved in a particular way, why a scene was presented as it was or whether somebody else might interpret it differently. Museum and gallery visits can lead boys to consider what an object or picture tells us and what it doesn’t, while holidays and days out introduce maps, timetables, unfamiliar words and new surroundings. Tutors build on this curiosity during sessions, with much more back and forth than there might be in traditional tuition. Rather than judging understanding only through completed worksheets, tutors follow what each boy notices, encourage him to explain his reasoning and give him the confidence to ask ‘why’ and develop questions of his own.
For more information about our Reading School preparation, see our Reading School 11+ tuition page and Guide to Reading School entry.
