scholarly journals The Practice and Challenges of Implementing Critical Thinking Skills in Omani Post-basic EFL Classrooms

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naeema Saleh Al-Kindi ◽  
Abdo Mohammed AL-Mekhlafi
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Classroom Behaviors ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Efl Classrooms ◽  
Basic English

The purpose of the current study is to investigate post-basic English teachers` practice of critical thinking skills and the challenges they face while teaching skills in EFL classrooms. Three research questions were investigated to achieve this purpose: 1-To what extent do EFL teachers use classroom behaviors that nurture critical thinking at the post basic education schools? 2- Does EFL teachers’ practice of classroom behaviors that nurture critical thinking skills vary according to gender? 3-What challenges do EFL teachers face when incorporating critical thinking in their classrooms?The sample was drawn from 12 post basic schools: 3 female schools, 3 male schools and 6 mixed gender schools. The total number of grade 11 and 12 English teachers in these schools is thirty: 15 males and 15 females. To accomplish the objectives and fulfill the purpose of the study, the study employed a questionnaire and an observation form to collect the data needed to answer the research questions. On looking at the post-basic EFL teachers’ use of behaviors nurturing critical thinking skills, the study reveals that post-basic English teachers rarely use the behaviors that nurture critical thinking skills. The findings also show no significant difference between males and females in the use of the behaviors that most nurture critical thinking skills, except for one type of behavior. Moreover, the study results report some challenges that EFL teachers face when teaching critical thinking; these are related to the course book, to extra-curricular activities, to class size and to training.

scholarly journals THE PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN EFL TEACHERS QUESTIONING BEHAVIOR

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Ahmad Zainudin ◽  
Machdalena Vianty ◽  
Rita Inderawati
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Questioning Behavior ◽  
Higher Order Questions

The development of critical thinking is closely related to the questions asked by teachers as the teachers higher-order questions are cognitively demanding to promote students critical thinking. The purposes of this study are to investigate how critical thinking was implemented in EFL teachers questions in the classroom and the challenges faced by EFL teachers in integrating critical thinking questions. In addition, this study also investigated students reasons for non-response to particular questions asked by teachers. Applying mixed-method research design, the data were collected from classroom observation, interview, questionnaire and documentations. The research participants were two English teachers and 229 number of students of year 8. The results showed that the most dominant questions asked by the two English teachers were in Lower-order questions (78,8%), while the Higher-order questions were only (21,2%) questions. Second, the challenges faced by teachers were students intelligence has yet to reach the level of higher-order thinking, unconducive-classroom environment, teachers creativity itself, parental involvement and students lack of vocabulary. Third, dealing with the reason for students non-response in particular questions asked by teachers, there were some reasons, such as students are afraid of making mistakes, they could not put ideas into words, and lack of vocabularies. In conclusion, the teachers faced various challenges in implementing critical thinking questions in the classroom.

scholarly journals Enhancing Learning Through Reflection– A Case Study of SEEU

SEEU Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brikena Xhaferi ◽  
Gezim Xhaferi
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Good Tool ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Learning through reflection is one of the most interesting experiences that students might have. It is considered a very good tool for self-assessing learning. It is believed that “teachers who promote reflective classrooms ensure that students are fully engaged in the process of making meaning” (Costa and Kallick, 2008, para.5). Dewey (1991) was among the first researchers who based his work and research on the positive roles that reflection plays in fostering self-reflection and critical thinking. He has defined it as an active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief. Reflections give students opportunities to think and reflect about their learning and note down the obstacles they might face during this process. The present study aims to investigate the impact of journal writing in promoting critical-thinking skills, and its impact on enhancing learning. The study uses two instruments, a student refection journal and an interview. Also, Marzano’s New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives developed in 2000 was used in the third phase of the study. This Taxonomy contains Three Systems: the Self-system, the Metacognitive system and the Cognitive system. The overall study results show that reflection journals help students to become more independent learners, reflect on their learning experiences and identify the most useful learning strategies. Most importantly, all study participants hold positive attitudes towards reflection and they consider it as a valuable tool which can increase learning.

scholarly journals Beliefs about Critical Thinking among English Teachers in Qasabet Al- Mafraq, Jordan: معتقدات عن التفكير الناقد بين معلمي اللغة الانجليزية في قصبة المفرق، الأردن

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Salem Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
The North ◽  
Conceptual Maps ◽  
Asking Questions ◽  
Teacher's Knowledge

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between teachers' knowledge, beliefs and activities about critical thinking. . The study followed the descriptive approach. This research was based on a questionnaire designed to investigate English teachers' points of view about critical thinking for primary and secondary schools in Qasabet Al Mafraq which is a city in the north of Jordan The population of the study is 280 female and male teachers distributed through 160 primary and secondary school. The study sample was randomly selected and it represents 46% of all English teachers in Qasbet Al Mafraq. They are 40 male and 88 female teachers during the second semester 2018/2019. The results of the study indicate that most of the teachers know the higher and lower –order of critical thinking skills. Also, they are inclined to use the critical thinking strategy to achieve certain outcomes in the curriculum. According to the teachers' beliefs, they think critical thinking is an important and effective strategy for problem solving and decision making. On one hand, there is a positive correlation between teacher's knowledge, teachers' belief and critical thinking activitie such as role- playing, asking questions, problem- solving, conceptual maps, debate and game playing. But on the other hand, there are no statistically significant differences at (a= 0.05) due to the variables of gender, experience, number of students, and the stage they are teaching. The researcher recommends that more research should be done on the effect of critical thinking on the four skills reading, writing, speaking and listening.

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.

scholarly journals The Effects of Applying the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Theory on the 11th Grade Scientific Stream Students’ Acquisition of the Concepts of Physics and the Development of Their Critical Thinking Skills

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Sami Salameh Almasarweh ◽  
Mohammad Khudairat
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
11Th Grade

The current study explores the effects of applying the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Strategy on the 11th-grade scientific stream Jordanian students' acquisition of the concepts of developing their critical thinking skills. This study's significance lies in its emphasis on the worldwide growing tendency to apply PBL teaching strategies that consider developing the students' mental capabilities and creative thinking skills and, consequently, help them solve status-de- facto educational problems face and solve problems in their lives. The researchers used the experimental method in their study, which is based on studying the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables. For this reason, three study student groups, equal in their age, intelligence, academic achievement, social and economic standing, were selected. Two experimental groups were exposed to the independent variable (PBL) method, whereas the third control group was not exposed to the independent variable. Instead, it was taught in the Motion Unit in Physics by using the traditional teaching method. The results of the study were analyzed statistically, applying for the SPSS program. The Arithmetic Mean, the Standard Deviation, the Torsional Modulus, and the T-Test were used for the study analysis. The study results revealed that the two (PBL) experimental groups have proved to be much more superior to the control group's third traditional teaching method.

scholarly journals A Correlation Study of Pakistani EFL Teachers’ Professional discerning and their Critical Thinking

2021 ◽  
pp. 378-387
Author(s):  
Muhammad Akram ◽  
Anser Mahmood
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Correlation Study ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Teaching Context ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Statistical Program ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

A great deal of research is done on teacher training and teacher education worldwide, but a few studies appeared on teacher’s professional discerning and particularly on teachers’ critical thinking skills. Critical thinking, with regard to EFL teachers, has not been taken into consideration early on. This study explores the relationship between EFL teacher’s professional discerning and their critical thinking in Pakistani context. A quantitative paradigm has been adopted to find out if there is any relationship between EFL teachers’ professional discerning and their critical thinking. The participants consisted of 93 EFL teachers teaching English at the university level in Pakistan. The researcher utilized a professional discerning (identity) research tool taken from Sheybani and Miri (2019) and a derived Critical Thinking Inventory (DCT) designed by the researcher to collect data. To analyze the relationship between EFL teachers’s professional discerning and their critical thinking ability, the data were analyzed by R (statistical program). The results of correlation analysis unfolded that the sub-constructs of professional discerning questionnaire tools are predicted by critical thinking. A highly positive and statistically significant correlation was observed in the analysis. The study highlights the significance and important role of critical thinking in shaping EFL teachers’ professional discerning, particularly in their teaching context. The study proves the inventive conduct of EFL teachers in the present era of knowledge and learning. The study will positively contribute to language teaching and learning, and it would open up new vistas for EFL teachers, syllabus designers, and academia.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review: Using Habits of Mind to Improve Student’s thinking in Class

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suad Alhamlan ◽  
Haya Aljasser ◽  
Asma Almajed ◽  
Haila Almansour ◽  
Nidhal Alahmad
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Habits Of Mind ◽  
Study Results

This review article aims to explore how habits of mind as the concept defined under the recent Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing contributes to the development of critical thinking in the classroom. The application of a systematic review and a meta-analysis approach allows investigating the selected habits of mind and comparing them to the externally verified critical thinking skills using a multiple regression with a variation methodology. Study results suggest that the available literature does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the problem due to the variations in explanatory values of the variables selected; though, it justifies the instructional leadership approach that should be fulfilled by the educators striving to deploy the Framework in their educational environment. The review suggests using a fieldwork approach as the next step of the mentioned Framework evaluation.

scholarly journals Critical thinking ability of 3rd year radiography students

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracey Pieterse ◽  
Heather Lawrence ◽  
Hesta Friedrich-Nel
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Comprehensive University ◽  
Critical Thinking Ability ◽  
Clinical Scenarios ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Thinking Ability ◽  
The Status

Background: Developing the critical thinking skills of student radiographers is imperative in an era of rapidly advancing technology. The status of the students' ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills needed to be explored for the Department of Radiography at a comprehensive university to determine if a more explicit curriculum was needed to facilitate these skills.Aim: The aim of this article is to present results of a study conducted to determine the critical thinking ability of 3rd year radiography students at a Comprehensive University in South Africa.Method: The research study used a descriptive exploratory design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected by scoring the participants ability to think critically when answering clinical scenarios posed in the form of vignettes given to the students under assessment conditions. The qualitative data was generated by in-depth field notes made inductively by the researcher.Results: The findings of this study indicated that the majority of participants demonstrated a minimal ability to think critically.Conclusion: The study results imply that in order to improve critical thinking skills of student radiographers, there is a need for curriculum adjustment, to nurture and encourage these skills. It is recommended that facilitators adopt methods to integrate these skills in the curriculum.

scholarly journals Keefektivan Pendekatan Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis dan Rasa Ingn Tahu Mahasiswa

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Triyani Triyani
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mastery Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Gain Score ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Contextual Teaching ◽  
Very High

This article aims to describe the study results about the effectiveness of using the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach to critical thinking skills and college student curiosity in the Pancasila Education subject. The research instrument used in this study was a questionnaire about curiosity and elaboration questions to test students’ critical thinking skills. The trial subjects were 55 third semester students. The effectiveness of data analysis based on test results is done by determining the percentage of students’ mastery learning and determining the gain score <g> in the class that is used as the research subject. Based on the achievement of mastery learning classically reached 83.64% with the number of students 46 out of 55 students. Gain score <g> of 0.61 or in the “medium” category. Based on the results of tests of students “critical thinking skills shows that the CTL approach is effective for improving students” critical thinking skills. Achievement of student curiosity based on the results of the questionnaire in the “very high” category with a percentage reaching 72.73% or as many as 40 students from 55 students. Besides the gain score <g> of 0.61 or in the category of “medium”. Based on the curiosity questionnaire shows that the CTL approach is effective for developing student curiosity.

scholarly journals Application of Teachers’ Knowledge of Socratic Questioning in Developing EFL Critical Thinking Skills among Omani Post-Basic Learners

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moosa Ahmed Ali Sulaiman
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intervention Phase ◽  
Socratic Questioning ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Teachers And Students

With the premise that effective use of Socratic Questioning in instructional practices is of vital importance in EFL/ESL classrooms, this study was undertaken to investigate application of Omani EFL teachers’ knowledge of Socratic Questioning (SQ) on Students’ Critical thinking (CT) in post basic schools. This study is conducted in two phases of investigation. Phase I examined the correlation between teachers’ knowledge and actual use of SQ. Phase II study investigated the application of Omani EFL teachers’ knowledge of SQ on students’ CT in post-basic schools. The present study made an attempt to (a) Determine the relationship between teachers’ knowledge of SQ and their actual use of SQ. (b) Ascertain whether there is any statistically significant difference between mean scores of those who are taught through SQ and those who are taught CT skills in a normal setting. (c) Identify CT strategies, the students were able to develop and apply at the end of the intervention phase. A total of 230 EFL teachers, which comprises a 100% of the total population of all EFL post-basic female teachers in Dhofar region of Oman, participated in this study. The multi-method procedures and data analyses showed that (a) There is a strong positive relationship between teachers’ perceived knowledge and their actual use of SQ; (b) There are significant differences between mean scores of those who were taught CT through SQ and those who were taught CT skills in a normal setting; (c) There is a clear evidence to suggest that students in the experimental group were able to develop effective CT strategies during the intervention phase. The findings of this study offer a number of implications: (a) For instructional practice that involves the teachers and students; (b) For policy and decision makers; and (c) For syllabus designers and testing and evaluation. In addition, it identifies and proposes certain areas related to pedagogy for future research.

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