How is "Cognitive flexibility" defined?

• A. The ability to rigidly apply one strategy.
• B. The ability to adapt thinking based on new information or different perspectives encountered in the text.
• C. The ability to memorize lists.
• D. The ability to ignore new information.

Answer: (B)

Cognitive flexibility is the ability to adjust thinking when new information or different perspectives arise in a text. In early literacy, this means being willing to revise a prediction or interpretation, switch strategies, and consider alternative meanings as clues or evidence emerge. For example, when a character’s actions don’t align with earlier impressions, you rethink motives and revise your understanding; when a word has multiple possible meanings, you use context clues to decide which meaning fits. This flexible, adaptive thinking supports deeper comprehension and critical analysis. The other options describe sticking to one method, simply memorizing information, or ignoring new information, which do not reflect the adaptive thinking you see in cognitive flexibility.