scholarly journals An Analysis of Critical Thinking from the Philosophical, Reflective, Cognitive and Cultural Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Chunxia Lu ◽  
Rosukhon Swatevacharkul
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Cultural Perspectives ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Language Context ◽  
Made In

In English as a foreign language context, to cultivate language learners’ critical thinking skills has become a part of the education goal. In China, great efforts have been made in order to increase Chinese college students’ critical thinking skills, but their critical thinking skills are not satisfying. As to the reasons, lack of sufficient and comprehensive understanding of critical thinking skills is supposed to be one of the reasons. Thus, this paper proposed to analyze critical thinking skills from the philosophical, reflective, cognitive, cultural perspectives hopefully to enhance understanding of critical thinking skills in Chinese EFL context.

Promoting students’ critical thinking through reading strategy instruction in a reading class

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-151
Author(s):  
K.R. Vinitha Rani
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Reading Strategy ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Reading Strategy Instruction ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Bilingual School

This study examined the application of Reading Strategy Instruction (RSI) in a reading class to promote the critical thinking skills of the second language learners. It aims to find out (1) the critical thinking elements in the questions formulated by the participants before the application of RSI, and (2) the critical thinking elements found in the (a) three selected questions, (b) answers, and (c) reflections written by the participants after the application of RSI. This study included sixteen grade 11 participants of a bilingual school in Jakarta, aged between 16 to 18 years old. The participants underwent two stages (1) before the application of RSI, and (2) after the application of RSI. The RSI applied in this study was a modification of Rothstein & Santana’s (2014) “Question Formulation Technique” and Alder’s (2001) comprehension strategies in answering questions. The collected data were analysed by using the modified critical thinking indicators proposed by Mason (1991) and Henri (1992). The results of the study revealed that applying RSI in the reading class was beneficial in promoting the participants’ critical thinking skills. RSI helped the participants to (i) think differently, (ii) use prior background knowledge, (iii) question the facts given in the text, (iv) identify the issues given in the text, (v) give valid solutions to the problem, (vi) connect themselves with the text and the world, and (vii) justify their arguments using valid examples.

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 The Developing Conflict-Based Learning Models To Improve Students 'Critical Thinking Skills'

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 9-12
Author(s):  
Ridha Mulyani ◽  
Sufyarma Marsidin ◽  
Ahmad Kosasih
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Learning Models ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Thinking Ability

This study is purposed to improve students' critical thinking skills. It is based on the reality of social life in the college or school environment, family, community, it can be seen that the low level of sensitivity, willingness, and ability of students to take part in solving various conflict problems. In daily life, students have generated attitudes and behaviors that are selforiented and become less sensitive to their social environment. In understanding conflict, the critical learning model is needed. Researchers are interested in conducting a research entitled Conflict-Based Learning Models to Improve Student's Critical Thinking Skills at the Faculty of Sharia, Imam Bonjol State Islamic University, Padang. The development of this conflictbased learning model is necessary to do because there has been no conflict-based learning model with a socio-cultural perspective to resolve agrarian conflicts recently. It is hoped that by using this model, students in analyzing and resolving agrarian conflicts will not only use legalistic-positivistic state legal instruments but also approach the rules found in local communities, so there are no prolonged conflicts anymore. This type of research is development research or what is called Research and Development (R&D) with qualitative and quantitative approaches. The Conflict-based Learning Model in order to Improve Students 'Thinking Ability in this study has produced a valid, practical, and effective model because it has an impact on increasing students' critical thinking skills and learning motivation.

scholarly journals Infusing Critical Thinking Skills into Argumentative Writing: A Study of Chinese College College Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Chunxia Lu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Argumentative Writing ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
College Learners ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Persuasive Arguments

Argumentative writing plays an important role in higher education with college students needing to know how to compose persuasive arguments for academic and career purposes. While writing an argumentative essay, Chinese college students not only face the challenges of the activity itself but also the difficulties of writing in a foreign language. To facilitate their argumentative writing, a revised six-element argumentative model based on Toulmin’s framework infused with critical thinking skills was taught to 30 students in an English course at a Chinese Teacher-training University. Using an argumentative essay test in a pre- and post-test design, it was found that the students’ holistic argumentative writing ability significantly improved after the intervention. However, the students’ ability to rebut remained weak.

scholarly journals The role of teachers’ metacognitive awareness on language learners’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking skills

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (32) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Hasan Haghani Zadeh ◽  
Parviz Behrouzi
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Critical Thinking Ability ◽  
Thinking Ability ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Grammar Tests

The present study was an attempt to discover the probable effects of EFL teachers’ Metacognitive Awareness (MA) on Iranian EFL learners’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking ability. The study aimed to see whether or not teachers’ MA can improve language learner’ knowledge of grammar and critical thinking skill. To this end, 100 EFL teachers were selected and completed Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI). Then, 10 teachers with lowest degree of MA and 10 with highest degree of MA were selected to teach 207 intermediate language learners. The learners selected took a grammar tests and a critical thinking ability questionnaire test before and after the treatment. Collecting and analyzing the data, it was revealed that teachers’ MA affected language learners’ knowledge of grammar, while it did not influence the participants’ critical thinking skills. The findings of the present study might be useful for language teachers and teacher trainers.

Fostering Critical Thinking Using Instructional Strategies in English Classes

2021 ◽  
pp. 79-96
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 Exploration on Cultivation of Critical Thinking in College Intensive Reading Course

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingying Tang
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Western World ◽  
Chinese College Students ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
English Classroom ◽  
Intensive Reading

<p>Critical thinking has drawn great concern from researchers in America and western world since 1980s. Chinese researchers have come to realize the fundamental function of critical thinking for innovation. However, it does not take effect to cultivate students’ critical thinking in English classroom. English classroom activities are generally designed for students to memorize, imitate, recite. The cultivation of students’ critical thinking has been ignored. Chinese college students generally can speak out some sentences but lack in-depth ideas and practical ability to solve problems. They suffer from emotional literacy. This research aims to foster college students’ critical thinking skills by designing some classroom activities regarding college intensive reading course in English classroom. But there are some deficiencies in this research such as lack of empirical studies to testify its positive effect.</p>

scholarly journals Enabling Criticality: A Top-down Bottom-up Approach to Using TED Talks in EAP Listening Classes

2021 ◽  
pp. 293-324
Author(s):  
Adam Gyenes ◽  
◽  
Luis F. Santos ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Solid Foundation ◽  
Ted Talks

The use of TED talks in EAP has gained popularity in recent years and they are promoted through coursebooks as a means of simultaneously developing listening and critical thinking skills. However, a traditional comprehension approach to teaching listening; one that focuses on testing lower-order thinking skills through discrete questions may be inadequate as a gateway into a critical consideration of broader issues for second language learners. With the practical purpose of developing a teaching approach to using TED talks informed by current theory, the chapter begins with a consideration of how critical thinking processes and top-down and bottom-up listening processes can be integrated into a singular model. Based on this framework, a genre analysis of the TED talk is made by taking a learner’s perspective in order to identify cognitive and affective barriers to listening that may restrict opportunities for critical thinking. In the discussion that follows, five activities are suggested for use with TED talks in listening classes that support top-down and bottom-up listening processes, and which set students up to analyse and evaluate the thesis and underlying structure of a TED talk, providing a solid foundation from which to approach discussion topics critically and reflectively.

A Pedagogical Approach to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Japanese EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
pp. 37-56
Author(s):  
Yuya Akatsuka
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Central Council ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

This chapter suggests a pedagogical approach that promotes students' critical thinking (CT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. The Japanese Central Council for Education has stressed its importance, which was reflected in the revised 2021/2022 Japanese National Curriculum. However, although the curriculum describes approaches for fostering CT, concrete approaches are not sufficiently presented. The pedagogical approaches of the IB may contain some suggestions for developing CT in Japanese EFL contexts. First, this chapter introduces the transitions created by Japanese educational reform and their relationship with fostering CT. Second, CT approaches in the EFL context and the IB's theoretical background relating to CT are extracted and examined. Finally, a possible integrated CT approach is suggested based on the IB's framework and alignment with the revised curriculum. The analysis indicates that an integrated CT approach to EFL learning should be balanced between levels of CT attributes and Japanese EFL learners' English proficiency levels.

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