The application of critical thinking activities in EFL classes has become debatable issue for a long time for educators because the critical thinking activities provide a great deal of benefits to the learners such as using language communicatively and using cognitive skills like analytical and skeptical skills etc. actively while using language, but there are some limitations such as not having similarities with the classical education system about the assessment of the students, not having enough time for the application of the activities. Before I go further, I want to explain what critical thinking is.
Critical thinking has been differently defined for years by many educators. according to Michael Scriven & Richard Paul (1987), critical thinking is cognitively structured process of dynamically and effectively perceiving, understanding, visualizing mentally, analyzing, synthesizing and interpreting the information which is gained from ‘’ observation, experience, reflection, reasoning or communication’’ as a way to reach a belief and action. When we look at the characteristics of critical thinking in the definition, we can predict how critical thinking can be beneficial for language and thinking skills. When a person has critical thinking skills, s/he has the characteristics such as being skeptical and active thinker, being open-minded etc. My discussion pointing in this blog is that depending on the definition of the critical thinking how the application of critical thinking activities in EFL classes can be beneficial for the learners.
There are many critical thinking activities that can be applied in EFL classes. Project Work, Dialogue Journals, Reading Log and Structured Controversial Dialogue are some of them. Critical thinking activities in language classes urge the students to participate actively and creatively and give the chance of using existing knowledge and communicative skills. Depending on critical thinking, we can say that critical thinking activities provide the chance of meaningful practice and using existing knowledge, the students’ involvement in the activities both emotionally and cognitively, the use of the language apprehensively and productively, taking feedback for the students. (Gaskaree, Mashhady, Dousti, 2010, 38-39)There are several processes in the application of critical thinking activities. At the beginning, a problem that attracts the attention of the students is determined and discussed and then the reasons of the problem are analyzed and the possible solutions are explored. During these processes, the students have the opportunity of practicing and applying activities (Richards and Schmidt, 2002, p 420-421). Also, while these processes are applied, open-ended questions about the problem are asked to the students and they study on the problem by negotiating the meaning. As a result of the problem posing and problem solving process, the students become autonomous learners and realize the potential of their intellectual capacity and also their thinking and language skills with communication skills can be integrated.i
Videos related to critical thinking and critical thinking activities
One teacher bring critical into her classes. Her students are learning to take a "think locally and act globally” approach to problem-solving and new areas of inquiry in their learning as they develop their language skills. In the activities, the students actively involved in collaborative group work and they are open-minded and use their existing knowledge. Also, in this activity, the students analyze, synthesize and interpret the knowledge that they collected. Moreover, in the activities, they took role plays. As a result of these activities, their language, higher order thinking and communication skills develop and these skills are integrated.
Students form opinions about certain issues and demonstrate these opinions by selecting and then moving to a corner. In this critical thinking activity, the students work in collaborative groups or pairs and they use their thinking and communication skills. Also, as they use these skills, they are always active and open-minded.
I chose this topic in order to show the importance of the
application of the critical thinking activities in EFL classes and the according to me , critical thinking
activities are important because in my learning environment such as high school
, old teaching techniques are still applied
and this lead to lack of effective and
meaningful learning skills and this also lead to not able to use thinking
ability more effective , so this situation may lead to the devastation of the
students’ future education life and
becoming poor learners and thinkers.
What do you know about critical thinking?
According to you, what is the importance of critical
thinking activities for you?
What kind of activities would you apply in the EFL classes?
When I read your comments, I saw that all of you connected
the critical thinking activities with the activities that we applied in our
some courses. In brief, I can say that all of you are aware of how you learn
meaningfully. I don’t need to say many things because some of your comments
reflect what the importance of the application of the critical thinking activities
in EFL classes. However, although some critical thinking activities or
activities that seem as critical thinking activities are applied in classes,
not applying critical thinking activities during whole classes and not teaching
to the students how critically think, listen, read and see the life aren’t completely taught with regard to me.
References
I think you give good examples for critical thinking activities. As you said learning logs, dialogues journals are examples of these activities and they are very helpful in meaningful learning. As you know we have learning logs in our some lessons and I think with writing these we can develop more. For example, in constractive Turkish-English course we have to write some questions about what we covered and answer them. With this way, we can think critically to find some good questions. It's like the practising of the lesson we covered. We repeat it again and again.
ReplyDeleteEvren, I liked your subject that you chose to be discussed. In my opinion, your subject "critical thinking" became significant in teaching and learning process. The phrase "critical thinking" opened a new ways for teaching and learning; therefore, your choice is appropriate considering our department, which arouse the interest of our department. I liked the way that you support your subject with supportive videos that are related with your subject. When we take into account the application of critical thinking in the EFL classes, I can say that teachers should possess this characteristic as well beside learning methods, subject, techniques and related approaches. As you said above that critical thinking provide learners to participate actively and creatively, use existing knowledge and communicative skills which are the heart of teaching and the learning process. I think that, the concept "critical thinking" in this case can be a guidance for teachers on how they can apply it into their teaching. In other words, critical thinking,in a way, give rise to the awareness of teachers regarding this approach that can be used in teaching in order to establishing meaningful and productive learning environment. I also subject to this theory, I give importance to it because I think that teachers use different approaches, methods and techniques so as to they can find the most effective methods. We have learned that teachers should use the methods even if they don't like so as to gain awareness both on their weakness and strengths and to what extend the method they use work in the classroom. Considering critical thinking activities under the light of this point, as I said in the previous sentences it became a key point that contribute this process. I mean, critical thinking can both contribute teaching and learning as it meets the ends of both teaching and learning process. Teachers can bring diversity into their teaching so as to not to be monotonous, and by the help of this students will find opportunity to show their voice and presence in the class. For example, in our Drama Analysis course that we are taking this semester require us to write response journal which give us chance to express ourselves and our feelings as we have limited time in lesson to express fully ourselves. In addition to, as Drama Analysis, you know we kept writing journals in both Sociolinguistics, Instructional Principles & Methods. Now, in this semester, we keep writing in our Contrastive Turkish and English Analysis as well. I think, by looking these examples, it can be said that critical thinking activities form a part of teaching and learning so it can be said also it works in our department. =)
ReplyDeleteEvren I like your discussion topic it is a quite widen one.You have indicated good examples and visual aids such as pictures and videos that are related to your topic.It is a quite tough one to discuss actually.You are right about critical thinking activities that they are beneficial in EFL classes . As we are doing them all in our courses.Preparing project work as research paper for our Advanced Writing and Research skills course.In addition, we write logs after every class on Contrastive Turkish and English structure course which is a reliable one inwhich we ask questions and answer them through thinking our past lessons.Moreover, we write journals as a response to every play or work we read in Drama Analysis lecture which is also useful for our thinking we remain the details and the important points over and over again.You have explained all in understandable way.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I believe that critical thinking is very important and is a must to apply when it is needed in education. I like the definition that you have given for critical thinking. Also, in my opinion,the activities that you have mentioned are all perfect. I think that dialogue journals and project work are the top two for me. They are very good at providıng the chance of meaningful practice. Still I am a student and when these activities are applied to me, I feel that I am learning meaningfully, using my existing knowledge and get involved with the activities both emotionally and cognitively. So, critical thinking is very important and critical thinking activities should be applied in EFL classrooms. When I become a teacher, I will definitely use such activities. Last but not least, I would like to mention that I like your topic and your blog post is very nice designed and your video and pictures are perfect! :)
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, I see you have chosen an important topic related to our department. You introduced critical thinking very well, in my opinion. You taught me that critical thinking is a way to be thinking deliberatively for specific purposes. Human mind is an open source to make this action. I think that you have supported your topic with good examples.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the pictures you have chosen attracted my attention. I can easily make an assumption when I look at them. I mean, pictures you put on the blog is nice to see. Further, youtube videos are very helpful for better understanding. It is more applicaple when we see it in practice.