Is there a Relationship between Critical Thinking and Critical Reading of Literary Texts: A Case Study at Arak University (Iran)

Examining the theme, plot, and characters of a literary work is a common practice for students of literature so that they can criticize literature. Unlike a non-critical reading which provides readers only with facts, a critical reading also entails depicting how a book or a source illustrates the subject matter. Through various reading procedures including interpretation, inference and examining ideologies embedded in texts, readers can develop critical thinking. This paper aims at examining whether or not there is a relationship between critical thinking and critical reading of literary texts in higher education. To meet the mentioned aim, 121 EFL learners from Arak University were invited to participate in this study. After administrating English proficiency test, total numbers of students were 98 male and female. Data analysis was done through employing ANOVA and T-test.

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Putting Across Tangibility

Advances in Human Resources Management and Organizational Development - Teaching Human Resources and Organizational Behavior at the College Level ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2820-3.ch008 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 211-225

Author(s):

Dieu Hack-Polay

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Everyday Life ◽

Real Life ◽

Teaching Process ◽

Learning And Teaching ◽

Study Approach ◽

Organisational Behaviour ◽

Approach To Teaching ◽

The Subject

This chapter examines a case study-approach to teaching organisational behaviour. It explains the effectiveness of the use of case study in teaching the subject which is often termed theoretical and complex. The chapter advocates that the use of real life organisational cases can make the learning and teaching process more tangible and contribute to the development of critical thinking. The chapter specifically supports the view that there are aspects of organisational behaviour that are visible in both everyday life of individuals and groups. If lecturers could bring this up in the delivery of the OB curriculum, the learners, who are future managers and supervisors, could connect the learning experiences to reality, which could lead them to a better academic understanding and later effective practitioners.

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EFL Students’ Coherence Skill in Writing: A Case Study of Third Year Students of Bachelors in English Language

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v13n8p120 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 120

Author(s):

Enas Abdelwahab Eltom RahmtAllah

Keyword(s):

English Language ◽

Research Question ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Writing Test ◽

Study Results ◽

Efl Students ◽

The Subject ◽

Undergraduate Programs

Writing is considered an essential learning tool for all content areas. However, to master and have excellent writing skills for EFL students of undergraduate programs is challenging. Cohesion and coherence are both crucial textual elements to master writing. The present study examined coherence in English essays written by 46 female Saudi EFL third year at Unaizah College of Sciences and Arts, Qassim University. Examination of essays by the subject group designed to answer the research question. 1.) To what extent are EFL students competent in achieving coherence in writing skills? Each student was asked to write two essays (a writing test that included two essay questions). The data were analyzed through SPSS. The study results demonstrated that learners are not competent in achieving coherence in their writing tasks. In light of these results, recommendations are presented. The results also recommend further studies to investigate coherence and action research to improve this crucial skill among undergraduate Saudi EFL learners.

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Investigating Gender Differences in Iranian EFL Learners' Rounded Vowels

International Journal of Linguistics Literature & Translation ◽

10.32996/ijllt.2021.4.4.23 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 208-221

Author(s):

Mohammad Mehdi Tahanzadeh ◽

Mansoore Shekaramiz ◽

Marjan Abyavi ◽

Reihaneh Shamei

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Proficiency Test ◽

Brain Injuries ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Syllable Structure ◽

Teaching English ◽

Male And Female ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Proficiency Level ◽

Visual Problems

The present study investigated the gender differences in producing all English rounded vowels /u:/, /ɔ:/, /ʊ/ and /o/ in Iranian EFL learners' speech in comparison with native ones. Sixty Iranian EFL learners including 30 males and 30 females were selected as the participants of this study. Oxford proficiency test (OPT, 2001) was conducted in order to ensure the learners were truly homogenous with regard to their English proficiency level. All learners were right-handed, Persian monolingual native speakers with no brain injuries, hearing or visual problems that interfered with their performance in the test. Four words containing English round vowels with CVC syllable structure were selected and put inside the carrier sentence ''Say......please''. In fact, each learner uttered the carrier sentences separately. Via PRAAT software (win 64), the voices of the participants were recorded and analyzed for obtaining the first and the second formants (F1 and F2) of each vowel. The obtained data from male and female speeches were compared to each other to find their differences. The results showed in F2 values, there were gender differences considering the consonantal context. This study demonstrated that for males, the degree of backness of vowel /u:/ was less than that of vowel /ɔ:/, but for females it was vice versa. For both vowels, male's mean F1 was lower than female's mean F1 and male's mean F2 was higher than female's mean F2. The present study showed gender differences in producing English rounded vowels. So, the results can be used in classes which contain only one gender. The findings of this study can bring about some pedagogical implications for teaching English diphthongs, triphthongs and English rounded vowels.

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The effect of instructing critical thinking through debate on the EFL learners’ reading comprehension

Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning ◽

10.14434/josotl.v15i4.13191 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 21-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maryam Danaye Tous ◽

Abdorreza Tahriri ◽

Sara Haghighi

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Critical Thinking ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Male And Female ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Post Test ◽

The Difference ◽

Experimental Group

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of instruction through debate on the male and female EFL learners’ reading comprehension, and to examine the difference between male and female EFL learners’ perception towards instructing critical thinking (CT) through debate. 88 learners, out of 120, were selected through convenience sampling method. Using a quantitative research method with experimental pre-and post-tests design, this study consisted of 44 participants in the experimental group and 44 participants in the control group. The experimental group received some treatment in the form of “the Meeting-House Debate” strategy, while the control group received no such treatment. After one month and a half treatment of experimental group, both groups participated in the post-test. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics procedures. Findings showed that the debate strategy had statistically significant effect on the students’ reading comprehension. Also, results revealed that there was no significant difference between male and female EFL learners’ perception towards instructing CT through debate. It was concluded that instructing CT skills through debate strategy resulted in better understanding of reading texts.

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The Effect of Literary vs. Non-literary Texts through Critical Reading Approach on the Reading Comprehension Development of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Journal of Language Teaching and Research ◽

10.4304/jltr.5.1.215-220 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maryam Shokrolahi

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Literary Texts ◽

Critical Reading ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Comprehension Development

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Gender Differences in Complaint Strategies among Iranian Upper Intermediate EFL Students

Studies in English Language Teaching ◽

10.22158/selt.v4n1p1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Leila Nasiri Kakolaki ◽

Mohsen Shahrokhi

Keyword(s):

Women Students ◽

Proficiency Test ◽

Speech Act ◽

Study Data ◽

Men And Women ◽

Male And Female ◽

Intermediate Students ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Completion Task ◽

Efl Students

The goal of this research was to know the differences between the strategies used by male and female upper intermediate EFL learners in complaining. Various studies suggest that the way men and women speak is different. Women are considered to be more polite than men. The present study investigated the differences of complaining realizations between Iranian EFL men and women students. A number of 60 (30 males and 30 females) upper intermediate students were selected based on their performance on a general proficiency test administered by the institute’s authorities to participate in the study. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire in the form of a Discourse Completion Task (DCT). The responses were analyzed based on Rinnert and Nogami’s (2006) taxonomy. The study revealed that there was a difference between men and women in realizing the complaining speech act. Men used very direct complaint more frequently compared to women who used indirect complaints the most. The present study found gender has an influence on the choice of complaining strategies and politeness.

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Mathematical Critical Thinking Skill of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Students On Cubes and Beam Volumes Material

Al-Bidayah Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Islam ◽

10.14421/al-bidayah.v12i1.349 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Anas Salahudin ◽

Inne Marthyane Pratiwi ◽

Syaeful Hidayat

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Mathematical Thinking ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Thinking Skills ◽

Critical Thinking Skills ◽

Learning Trajectory ◽

Case Study Method ◽

School Students ◽

The Subject

This research-based on the findings that elementary school students already have mathematical critical thinking skills but have not reached the whole stage of the skills. Critical thinking skills of mathematics is essential for students because critical mathematical thinking can solve the problems and as a consideration to make decisions. This research aims to: (1) explore the critical thinking skills of mathematics of the subject of the volume of cubes and beams; (2) to determine student's difficulties in solving mathematical critical thinking skills test questions on the subject of the volume of cubes and beams. The research used a case study method of 28 students in one of the Islamic elementary schools in Bandung Regency. The data collected in the form of qualitative data obtained through tests of mathematical critical thinking skills, interviews, and document analysis. Data analysis techniques used thematic analysis by analyzing students' learning trajectory. The results showed that most students were still in the low category in the ability of critical thinking. As for the difficulties experienced by students, namely in providing simple explanations and working on problems that are not systematic. For this reason, the improving of students' mathematical critical thinking skills need further research.

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EFL Learners’ Higher Order Thinking and Technology Based Instruction in Literature Case Study of Biskra Univesity 2nd year Students

10.31235/osf.io/7weqa ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Arab World English Journal ◽

Nadia Rezig Betka

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Higher Order Thinking ◽

Higher Order ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Digital Devices ◽

Questioning Strategies ◽

E Learning ◽

Learning Test ◽

Based Instruction

The presence of higher order thinking aspects in EFL learners’ productions constitutes one of the major achievements of the teaching process. It denotes learners’ ability to think, analyze and draw conclusions about the taught information. Different approaches were implemented to promote EFL learners’ critical thinking but they were limited into questioning strategies that raise speculation. The present paper is an investigation of the advantages of implementing technology devices to promote Algerian University EFL learners’ higher order thinking. Noticing that their written productions in literature carried almost no critical thinking aspects , this case study attempts to check the usability of E learning in developing EFL learners’ ability to think critically through a qualitative method of research. The study is based on data obtained from a questionnaire administered to second year students on their attitude towards replacing the traditional classroom by a technology classroom. An E-learning test was initiated through Emails to deliver and correct home works where analysis and speculation questions were designed. The results showed that 83% of the sample were in favour of change and admitted that they spend more than 2 hours a day using their digital devices for entertainment as well as for research. Learners’ answers to the test questions carried analysis, reliance on evidence and argumentation. E learning can motivate EFL learners to combine research with learning in foreign languages classrooms.

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