Making Generalisations

Welcome to the Making Generalisations Learning Space.

What is Making A Generalisations?

A generalisation is a broad statement or idea applied to a group of people or things. It applies a general truth to everyone or everything in a group, simply because they're in that group. 

Generalisations can be described as valid (correct) or faulty (untrue). 

While faulty generalisations tend to forget about individuals or situations about whom the generalisation doesn’t apply. Valid generalisations can help us draw a conclusion about our world.

Faulty Generalisation Examples

Generalisations that are not supported by facts are called faulty generalisations. They involve either applying broad claims to individual instances (sweeping generalisations) or using one or two examples to form a general conclusion (hasty generalisations). Faulty generalisations include signal words such as all, always, every, never, or none.

Examples of faulty generalizations are:

• Every salesperson lies to make more money on a sale.

• Math homework is very easy.

• The United States is colder than Europe.

Valid Generalization Examples

Making valid generalisations is an effective way to understand the world around us. For example, when you see a feathered creature flying in the sky, you use generalisation skills to conclude “That is a bird.” Valid generalisations can be proven and supported with facts. Valid generalisations use signal words such as most, many, some, often or few.

Changing faulty generalisations to valid generalizations can be as simple as changing a few words. Examples of valid generalisations include:

• Some salespeople lie to make more money on a sale.

• Math homework is very easy for some people.

• A few parts of the United States are colder than parts of Europe.

Activity 4: Generalisations

Learning Intention: To define and identify generalisations in texts. 

Hook: 

PPT: Session 4:

docs.google.com/presentation/d/1krvplgIFGmGs4IVnTpKaRamvQMzHp3x6/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=110012826580237817283&rtpof=true&sd=true 

Mini Lesson: Explain the worksheet tasks below to the class. Twinkl Generaliser Task:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PCa-uZTA7qO7I8F3Nav9Etm3S8VP6_xn/view?usp=drive_linkv 

Task: Complete the Generaliser Task.

Reflection Task:

Complete the flip card generalisation task on the left of the website. Decide if the statement is valid or faulty and identify the signal word.: https://wordwall.net/resource/10230159/generalizations