The Effect of Critical Thinking Skills on Reading English Novels
الموضوعات : Research in English Language Pedagogy
1 - Islamic Azad University, Maybod Branch
الکلمات المفتاحية: Reading proficiency, Language awareness, critical literacy, critical thinking, English novels,
ملخص المقالة :
This experimental study examined the effect of critical thinking skills on reading English novels and its influence on EFL learners reading proficiency. For the purpose of this study participants in addition to their text book read and received instructions on the unabridged short novels for one semester. Sixty Iranian EFL junior undergraduates participated in this study and were randomly divided to two groups of thirty each. To test the hypothesis, two independent t-tests were conducted to see the difference between the two groups. The results of the study showed that students in group A were more critically oriented than their counterparts in group B. The pedagogical implication of this study suggests that direct instruction in critical thinking has an impact on EFL learners’ reading proficiency. This article is intended to help teachers who are interested in developing and encouraging critical thinking in their language classrooms. EFL learners need to learn how to establish realistic goals, monitor their own learning and reflect and challenge their own attitudes so that they may get closer to the idea of being good language learners. The findings of this study revealed that there was a significant improvement in students’ attitudes, confidence, and interest especially, in their novel-reading ability.
Alderson, J.C. (2005). Assessing reading. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
Barnett, R. (1997). Higher education: A critical business. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Behar-Horenstein, L. S., & Niu, L. (2011). Teaching critical thinking skills in higher education: A review of the literature. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 8(2), 25-42. Retrieved September, 2012, from http://www.journals .cluteonline.com/ index.php/TLC/article/viewFile/3554/3601
Benesch, S. (1993). Critical thinking: A learning process for democracy. TESOL Quarterly, 27(3), 545–547. doi:10.2307/ 3587485
Berardo, S.A. (2006). The use of authentic materials in the teaching of reading. The Reading Matrix, 2, 60-69.
Chastain, K. (1988). Developing second language skills. (3rd ed.).Chicago: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Chen, Y. (2007). Learning to learn: The impact of strategy training. ELT Journal, 61(1), 20-
29. doi:10.1093/elt/ccl041
Collins, N.D. (1993). Teaching critical reading through Literature. ERIC Digest, 4, 1-5. Retrieved January, 2012, from Eric Database.
Crenshaw, P., Hale, E., & Harper, S. L. (2011). Producing intellectual labor in the classroom: thinking. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 8(7), 13-26. Retrieved September, 2012,from http://www.journals.cluteonline.com/index.p hp/TLC/article/viewFile/3554/3601
Crookes, G., & Lehner, A. (1998). Aspects of process in ESL critical pedagogy teacher education course. TESOL Quarterly, 32(2), 319-327. doi: 10.2307/3587586
Davidson, B.W. (1998). A case for critical thinking in the English language classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 32(1), 119-123. doi: 10.2307/3587906
Day, R. R., & Bamford, J. (1998). Extensive reading in the second language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Elder, L., & Paul, R. (1994). Critical thinking: why we must transform our teaching. Journal of Developmental Education, 18(1),34. Retrieved May, 2011, from http://www.secularthinking.com/working_de finition_of_critical_thinking
Elder, L., & Paul, R. (2003). Critical thinking:
Teaching students how to study and learn. (Part IV). Journal of Developmental Education, 27(1), 36-37. Retrieved May, 2011, from
http://www.secularthinking.com/working_definition_of_critical_thinking
Emmit, M., & Wilson, L. (2005). The significance of language in critical literacy. Paper for the AATE/ALEA National Conference 2005, 1st-4th July, Broad beach QLD.
Retrieved Feb., 2011, from, http://www.lorrainewilson.com.au/docs/AL EA
Eskey, D. E., & Grabe, W. (1988). Interactive models for second language reading: Perspectives on instruction. In P. L. Carrell,
J. Devine & D. E. Eskey (Eds.), Interactive approaches to second language reading. Cambridge: CUP.
Farralelli, M. (2009). Critical literacy approach in the EFL class. Journal of NELTA. 14, (1-2), 26-31. Retrieved Feb. 28, 2011, from, http://www.aiasjol.info/index.php/browse/in dex
Gareis, E., Allard, M., & Saindon, J. (2009).
The novel as textbook. TESL Canada Journal, 26(2), 136-147. Retrieved Feb, 2014, from, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003368829802900 211.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and learning in the language classroom. Oxford: OUP.
Halvorsen, A. (2005). Incorporating critical thinking skills development in to ESL/EFL courses. Internet TESL Journal, 11(3). Retrieved September 14, 2012, from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/HalvorsenCritica lThinking.html
Khatib, M., & Bahrami, H. S. (2013). Multiculutural personality traits development in an EFL context: The case of ranian EFL students at BA, MA, and Ph.D. levels. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJAL), 16(2), 53-81.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003a). Beyond methods: Macro-strategies for language teaching. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Lally, C. (1998). The application of first language reading models to second language study: A recent historical perspective. Reading Horizons, 3, 267-277.
Locke, T. & Cleary, A. (2011). Critical literacy as an approach to literary study in the multicultural, high-school classroom. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 10(1), 119-139. Retrieved Feb. 2013, from http://hdl.handle.net/10289/5623
Pally, M. (1997). Critical thinking in ESL: An argument for sustained content. Journal of Second Language Writing, 6(3), 293-311. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90016-3
Paul, R. (1990). Critical Thinking: What every person needs to survive in a rapidly changing world. Rohnert Park. CA: Center for critical thinking and moral critique.
Paul, R., Elder, L., & Bartell, T. (1997). A brief history of the idea of critical thinking. Retrieved July 10, 2012, from http://www.criticalthinking.org/aboutCT/bri efHistoryCT.cfm
Paul, R., Elder, L., & Bartell, T. (1997). Study of 38 public universities and 28 private universities to determine faculty emphasis on critical thinking in instruction. Retrieved March 15, 2012, from http://www. criticalthinking.org/ research/Abstract-RPAUL-38public.cfm
Perfetti, C. A. (1985). Reading ability. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Phakiti, A. (2006). Theoretical and pedagogical issues in ESL/EFL teaching of strategic reading. University of Sydney Papers in TESOL, 1, 19-50.
Rezaei, S., Derakhshan, A., & Bagherkazemi,
M. (2011). Critical thinking in language education. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(4), 769-777. Retrieved June, 2012, from, http://www.ojs. academypublisher.com/index.php/jltr/article
hor, I. (1992). Empowering education: Critical teaching for social change. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Wallace, C. (2002). Local literacies and global literacy. In D. Block & D. Cameron (Eds.), Globalization and language teaching (pp. 101-14). London: Routledge.
Waters, A., & Vilches, M. (2001).
Implementing ELT innovations: A needs analysis framework, ELT Journal, 55(2), 133-141. doi: 10.1093/elt/55.2.133.