The Relationship Between Vocabulary Recall and Critical Thinking
Subject Areas : Journal of Teaching English Language StudiesReihaneh Sheikhy Behdani 1 , Mojgan Rashtchi 2
1 - English Department, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - English Department, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: recognition, critical thinking, implication, inference, deduction, recall, assumption,
Abstract :
The study aimed to investigate whether there was a relationship between Iranian EFL learners'critical thinking (CT) and ability to recall vocabulary. Also, the relationship between gender andrecall was investigated. In so doing, 128 upper-intermediate language learners were selected fromIslamic Azad University based on convenience sampling. After homogenizing the participants ongeneral language proficiency level using Babel test, the researchers implemented Watson Glasercritical thinking appraisal (W-GCTA) and divided the participants to experimental (criticalthinkers) and control (non-critical thinkers) groups. The researchers also gave a researcher-madevocabulary test to the participants to examine their vocabulary knowledge. As a result, 60 unknownwords were recognized and used in the form of completion items for both the experimental andcontrol groups. The participants of the groups knew that they should recall the vocabulary itemslater on a recall test. After applying Mann-Whitney U test, the researchers found that there was asignificant difference in recalling ability of the control and experimental groups (U=.40, p<.05).The results revealed that there was a weak correlation between gender and the learners' ability torecall vocabulary (ôb = .113, p = .803).
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