scholarly journals Literature and critical literacy pedagogy in the EFL classroom: Towards a model of teaching critical thinking skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Bobkina ◽  
Svetlana Stefanova
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
Literary Work ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Rudyard Kipling ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Critical Literacy Pedagogy

Drawing on the numerous benefits of integrating literature in the EFL classroom, the present paper argues that the analysis of a fictional work in the process of foreign language acquisition offers a unique opportunity for students to explore, interpret, and understand the world around them. The paper presents strong evidence in favour of reader-centered critical reading as a means of encouraging observation and active evaluation not only of linguistic items, but also of a variety of meanings and viewpoints. The authors propose a model of teaching critical thinking skills focused on the reader’s response to a literary work. The practical application of the method, which adopts the critical literacy approach as a tool, is illustrated through a series of activities based on the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling.

scholarly journals Scientific Conferences as Way to Develop Students’ Foreign Language Communicative Competence

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 01155
Author(s):  
Yuliya Savinova ◽  
Tatiana Akhmetzyanova ◽  
Svetlana Pozdnyakova ◽  
Ekaterina Dvorak ◽  
Zhanna Zarutskaya
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
High Level ◽  
Development Of Students

The issues of the student engagement in science-related activities and the development of students’ language communicative competence are especially relevant in a technical university, where due to the prevailing of the Sciences, the professional communicative competence has become increasingly vital. The goal of this article is to examine how interdisciplinary scientific conferences for students held in foreign languages can foster the foreign language communicative competence of students. In the article, we present the definition and the three basic models of communicative competence. A method of pedagogical observation is used that represents comprehension and analysis of goal-oriented preparation of students for practical scientific conferences. We reveal the fact that interdisciplinary scientific conferences for students held in foreign languages allow educators to foster the foreign language communicative competence of students and deepen their knowledge in professional area, as well as to equip them with research skills since students’ participation in the conferences increases their attention and focus, motivates them to practice critical thinking skills of high level.

scholarly journals Critical Literacy Approach in the teaching of literary appreciation using Indonesian short stories

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-94
Author(s):  
H. Halimah
Keyword(s):  
Short Stories ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Critical Awareness ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Experimental Group

This paper presents experimental results about the use of the Critical Literacy Approach (CLA) in literary appreciation using Indonesian short stories. The purpose of the study is to find better teaching strategies to improve students’ critical thinking skills and critical awareness to comprehend the conditions of the world, including social relationships involving disproportionate power relations. This study uses the randomized pretest-posttest control group design (RPPCGD), which is a randomized design by giving pretest and posttest to the experimental group (CLA) and control group (expository). The effect of both teaching strategies is calculated through the difference between the pretest and posttest of both groups. This research involved 170 students in the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education of an education university in Indonesia. The results are presented in the form of analytical descriptions of paired samples test and paired samples correlations of each group. The results show that students who did a short story analysis with CLA had significantly increased critical thinking skills and critical awareness compared to students of expository strategy. The average posttest of the experimental group is 80.33, which is considerably higher than the control group, with an average of 76.13. The average increase in skills (posttest-pretest) of the experimental group is 38.71 points, and the control groups have an average increase of 31.19 points. Therefore, it is clear that the teaching of literary appreciation using Indonesian short stories with CLA is effective. The use of CLA strategies in increasing students’ critical thinking skills and critical awareness through literary appreciation of Indonesian short stories shows positive results. The results of this study can contribute to the field of learning design with new ideas to improve critical thinking skills and critical awareness of Indonesian students through effective short story analysis or fictional prose analysis.

scholarly journals Metacognitive Awareness and Critical Thinking Abilities of Pre-service EFL Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Dilek Cakici
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Efl Teachers

The primary aim of current study was to investigate the possible relationship between Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) in a foreign language learning context. In addition, this research aimed to probe the effect of gender and years of pre-service English language teachers on the relation between metacognitive awareness and critical thinking abilities. 218 pre-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers participated in the study. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Critical Thinking Questionnaire were employed to gather necessary data. Obtained results confirmed that there existed a highly significant positive correlation between MA and CTS. Besides, the results indicated that there was a strong relation between the years of pre-service EFL teachers and their MA and CTS. Seniors were found to be more metacognitively aware and critical thinkers than their counterparts. Conversely, it was revealed that there was no gender effect on both MA and CTS. Finally, certain suggestions were set for tertiary institutions to develop metacognition and critical thinking skills in foreign language classroom settings.

Fostering Critical Thinking Using Instructional Strategies in English Classes

2019 ◽  
pp. 299-316
Author(s):  
Şenol Orakcı ◽  
Mehmet Durnali ◽  
Osman Aktan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
English Classes

The aim of the chapter is to provide both theoretical and practical ideas about critical thinking development within English language teaching contexts. Encouraging language learners to be critical thinkers is important in teaching English as a foreign language. However, achieving the goal remains a challenge. Using various strategies together seem to be effective when properly implemented. Therefore this chapter outlines these strategies which include communicative language tasks, using authentic meaningful texts, using critical literacy, being aware of whole-brain learning, adopting a reflective teaching, enabling students to become autonomous, using explicit instruction, teacher questioning, using active and cooperative learning strategies, using literature in English classes, using creative drama, and adopting self-assessment. Teachers can enable learners to have critical thinking skills and more efficient English lessons by combining these strategies in a new way or by designing critical thinking activities in the classroom.

scholarly journals Making the best of an inappropriate textbook: using an ‘international edition’ to teach critical thinking and intercultural understanding

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-89
Author(s):  
Kristina C. Marcellus
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Intercultural Understanding ◽  
International Edition ◽  
Sociology Textbook ◽  
Language Environment

In this report, I outline and provide examples of an approach to using an international edition of an introductory sociology textbook to facilitate cross-cultural learning and critical thinking skills in an EFL (English as a foreign language) environment at a small engineering university in the United Arab Emirates.

scholarly journals CRITICAL THINKING DEVELOPMENT OF NON-LINGUISTIC STUDENTS THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL FOREIGN-LANGUAGE TEXT

2021 ◽  
pp. 124-134
Author(s):  
Инна Вячеславовна Шукурова ◽  
Наталья Евгеньевна Чеснокова
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Resources ◽  
Extraneous Material ◽  
Language Text

Рассматривается вопрос развития критического мышления студентов средствами иностранного языка. Оценивается место и роль дисциплины «Иностранный язык» в развитии универсальных компетенций студентов и в их адаптации к современным требованиям, предъявляемым будущим специалистам. Представлены составляющие умения критического мышления, которые позволяют осмысливать полученную информацию, обобщать и отделять ее от второстепенных фактов, формулировать выводы, оценивать. Средством развития критического мышления студентов выбран учебный иноязычный текст, который рассматривается не только как источник информации, но и как средство активизации мыслительной деятельности. Отмечается недостаток методик, способствующих развитию критического мышления. Описывается возможность использования таксономии педагогических целей Б. Блума в работе с учебным текстом. Таксономия позволяет правильно ставить образовательные цели, формулировать мотивирующие задания и отслеживать прогресс в развитии умений. Приведен пример работы с учебным текстом по принципу таксономии, который дает возможность корректировать учебную деятельность студентов, направленную на развитие их критического мышления. The article considers the process of students’ critical thinking development through the English language resources. The authors highlight the importance of English in the developing of students’ universal competencies and their adaption to the current professional requirements. The article outlines the essential critical thinking skills that allow students to comprehend the received material, break down the material into its constituent parts, to distinguish relevant information from extraneous material, to synthesize, to infer and evaluate it. The educational foreign-language text is used as a means of students’ critical thinking development. The authors emphasize the text’s multifunction nature and its contribution into enhancement of students’ thinking activity. Despite the teachers’ keen interest in the process of critical thinking developing some authors prove the lack of methods and techniques promoting its growth. The article gives an overview of Bloom’s taxonomy and outlines its application in the educational process. The taxonomy is widely used to set educational objectives, to formulate motivating exercises and monitor headway in knowledge and skills developing. The study shows that not all textbooks and tasks are intended to enhance critical thinking skills. So, the authors analyzed their English textbook and changed their approach to work with the texts. The article describes the experience proving that new challenging tasks help students comprehend the received information, distinguish relevant facts, summarize and learn to evaluate.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of Critical Thinking Skills Between English and Japanese Majors in a Normal University

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Fenglin Zhou ◽  
Yuewu Lin
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Thinking Dispositions ◽  
Critical Thinking Dispositions ◽  
English Majors ◽  
Normal University

Critical thinking is one of the core objectives of talent training in higher education. Meanwhile, the cultivation of critical thinking skills in foreign language teaching has become more and more urgent, and it has also been written into the national standards for the training of foreign language talents. A good critical thinking includes both a skill dimension (Critical Thinking Skills) and a disposition dimension (Critical Thinking Dispositions). Critical Thinking Skills include interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation and self-regulation. This study intends to explore the current situation of the critical thinking skills of undergraduates in foreign language majors (English and Japanese) in a Normal University, and then attempts to find out the similarities and differences in critical thinking skills between English majors and Japanese majors after years of study at college. The results show that a clear difference exists between English majors and Japanese majors in overall critical thinking skills. In particular, English majors are superior to Japanese majors. Another finding is that there are also differences between the two majors in the three core sub-skills of critical thinking skills, analysis, evaluation and inference.

scholarly journals Peculiarities Of Developing Critical Thinking In Primary School Students In The Process Of English Language Teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 02 (12) ◽  
pp. 223-229
Author(s):  
Mamadjanova Nozima Adhamovna ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
School Students ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Development And Management

This article discusses that the ability to think critically does not develop spontaneously. On the contrary, teachers play a major role in the development and management of the learning process. Foreign language classes help to develop critical thinking through a variety of materials and interactive learning technologies. Exploring the essence of critical thinking allowed him to move on to taking into account his abilities. As a result of studying this problem, it can be said that the foreign literature pays special attention to critical thinking skills.

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