جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "تفکر انتقادی" در نشریات گروه "ادبیات و زبان ها"

Critical pedagogy as a constituent of a democratic society is crucial to be raised and an educational system as a part of the society needs to get familiar with such a context for nurturing teachers and students with critical thinking as well as providing materials based on critical pedagogy principles. The present study intended to elicit the underlying themes in critical pedagogy and to examine their frequency in Iranian EFL textbooks. Following an exploratory sequential mixed method design, reviewing the literature critically, a host of underlying themes were extracted using content analysis and then six experts in Applied Linguistics were asked to select the more relevant themes in critical pedagogy according to the context of teaching the English language in Iranian high schools. Accordingly, the materials utilized in the present study were senior high school EFL textbooks entitled Vision Series and Vision Series Workbooks to examine the elicited themes. Furthermore, the frequency of critical pedagogy themes in Vision Series and Vision Series workbooks in terms of the level of the textbooks were examined. The results indicated "critical praxis" and "critical thinking" were the most frequently-used themes in Vision Series and Vision Series workbooks respectively and the frequency of critical pedagogy themes in these textbooks revealed no significant differences except in some themes. The findings of this study might have implications for stakeholders, materials developers, teachers, and students.

Critical thinking (CT) is extensively considered to be a prevalent notion in teaching and learning processes. Thus, this paper set out to pinpoint the association between EFL pupils’ CT capabilities as well as their vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) across gender. To do this, 140 Iranian male and female intermediate students studying at Iran Language Institute (ILI) in Urmia, Iran were chosen randomly. The study was conducted in the form of a survey with data being gathered via using Preliminary English Test (PET) to homogenize the students, Schmitt’s VLSs questionnaire to recognize the kinds of the strategies employed by students, as well as Ennis' Cornell Critical Thinking Test (CCTT) to ascertain the students’ CT capabilities. The data was subjected to analysis using the Pearson correlation. The findings indicated a significant association between CT abilities and VLSs. Furthermore, male learners showed more CT skills and VLSs compared to female students.  Thus, identifying the students' preferred VLSs would help them overcome the difficulties in learning words. Also, instructors should design classroom activities that encourage learners’ reflective thinking.

The significance of positive psychology constructs in second language learning and teaching is currently being emphasized by many L2 scholars. Accordingly, the present study intended to investigate the relationship between a set of positive psychology variables (namely, critical thinking, academic resilience and grit) and argumentative writing performance of 48 Iranian EFL learners. The necessary data were collected based on the students' responses to an argumentative essay writing prompt and the instruments measuring their status in critical thinking, academic resilience and grit. The coefficient of correlation indexes indicated rather low associations between argumentative writing performance and these constructs. Multiple regression pointed to the superiority of subscales targeting affective aspects and emotion regulation in accounting for the argumentative writing performance of the learners. Nevertheless, despite the superiority of high-skilled writers compared to moderately-skilled and less-skilled writers in critical thinking, academic resilience and grit, MANOVA results indicated no statistically significant differences among these groups of learners in these variables. Finally, it was concluded that since these positive psychology constructs are responsive and amenable to instruction, some appropriate pedagogical interventions, materials, and activities must be designed to improve the students' competence in these constructs which, in turn, can positively influence their performance on rather challenging academic tasks.

This study aimed to explore the combined impacts of critical thinking and dynamic Assessment on enhancing the writing performance of Iranian EFL learners, specifically focusing on teaching writing strategies. We selected 80 intermediate-level participants from a pool of approximately 200 language learners at an accredited institute (Gooyesh). These participants were divided equally into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group (EG) received writing strategies through the application of critical thinking principles and dynamic assessment. The control group (CG) received writing strategies through traditional methods without receiving critical thinking or dynamic assessment principles. The two groups underwent a writing pre-test to assess their initial writing skills, and after the treatment, to measure their writing improvement, they took a post-test using the same evaluation criteria as those of the pre-test. Then, appropriate statistical tools were employed to gauge the participants' writing progress as a result of the instructional methods. The results indicated that integrating dynamic assessment and critical thinking strategies significantly improved participants' written communication skills. These findings hold promise for EFL instructors, curriculum designers, and material developers.

The role of different critical thinking strategies in reading English texts has ignited remarkable research. In the very vein, the present mix-methods study aimed to explore the effects of analysis and conceptualization strategies of critical thinking proposed by Elder and Paul (2009), on the reading comprehension skills, and to probe the perception of Iranian upper-intermediate EFL learners across gender. To this end, 60 male and female learners within the age range of 25 to 38 were selected from a total number of 120 learners via the Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) test at the Pouyandegan institute of higher education in Chalous, Iran. Then, they were randomly assigned to two experimental groups for utilizing the conceptualization strategy, and two experimental groups for performing the analysis strategy. Next, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) was administered as the pre-test before an eight-week instruction. After utilizing the treatments, the post-test was administered alongside a semi-structured interview for 12 selected learners. The obtained data were analyzed through one-way ANOVA and paired samples t-test. The results revealed that the treatments had significant effects on the improvement of reading comprehension. The qualitative results too revealed that the learners adopted positive views toward the critical thinking (CT) strategies instruction. However, gender did not play any significant role in using the CT strategies in reading comprehension. The implications of the study were discussed at the end of the paper.

Since requesting happens in a circumstance of imbalance, the speaker ought to continuously respect the principles of politeness without consideration to the question of their request. This study investigated the effect of strategy training of speech acts of asking and statements of regret on developing Iranian EFL learners’ pragmatic performance and critical thinking. According to the nature of the treatment, it was decided to select the participants who had not had enough language exposure at the language institute before the study. For this, before conducting an Oxford English Test (OPT), it was expected to select those whose scores would fall between one standard deviation (+1SD) above the mean and one standard deviation (-1SD) below the mean as the cut-off criterion. Finally, 80 out of 114 Iranian EFL male and female learners from six language classes in intermediate level of proficiency were chosen. Next, they were divided randomly into two experimental and control groups (20 males and 20 females, for each group). A mixed-method design was utilized; the qualitative data collected via interview was used to triangulate the quantitative data collected. The data were investigated by two skilled raters, specified in applied linguistics to recognize the effectiveness of strategy training of request and apology speech acts. The data were keyed into the SPSS. 22. The finding showed that there was an important positive consequence of strategy training of speech act of request on developing Iranian EFL learners’ pragmatic performance. A meaningful relationship was found between critical thinking and pragmatic performance.

Although research on clinical supervision and teachers’ critical thinking has been separately carried out by many scholars, their integration in a unified study has been demanding, particularly in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Investigation of learners’ language achievement affected by doing clinical supervision appears to have been taken for granted. The present study was an attempt to figure out the effects of clinical supervision model proposed by Gall and Acheson (2011) on EFL teachers’ critical thinking disposition and learners’ overall language achievement. The present study constituted two sets of participants: 60 teachers and 66 learners selected through convenience sampling and were divided into two groups namely experimental. Clinical supervision was conducted for the experimental group teachers within three cycles of planning conference, classroom observation, and feedback conference. Those learners whose teachers took part in the clinical supervision constituted the experimental group while the remaining were the control group whose teachers were not provided with any teacher education program. Data were collected through the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale and learners’ pre-and post-tests. By running one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and independent samples t-tests, clinical supervision was significantly effective regarding EFL teachers’ critical thinking disposition and resulted in the learners’ significant improvement as well. Findings demand the practice of clinical supervision as an effective and awareness-raising teacher education program to help teachers reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses and self-regulate their teaching practicum.

Although research on clinical supervision and teachers’ critical thinking has been separately carried out by many scholars, their integration in a unified study has been demanding, particularly in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Investigation of learners’ language achievement affected by doing clinical supervision appears to have been taken for granted. The present study was an attempt to figure out the effects of clinical supervision model proposed by Gall and Acheson (2011) on EFL teachers’ critical thinking disposition and learners’ overall language achievement. The present study constituted two sets of participants: 60 teachers and 66 learners selected through convenience sampling and were divided into two groups namely experimental. Clinical supervision was conducted for the experimental group teachers within three cycles of planning conference, classroom observation, and feedback conference. Those learners whose teachers took part in the clinical supervision constituted the experimental group while the remaining were the control group whose teachers were not provided with any teacher education program. Data were collected through the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale and learners’ pre-and post-tests. By running one-way analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA) and independent samples t-tests, clinical supervision was significantly effective regarding EFL teachers’ critical thinking disposition and resulted in the learners’ significant improvement as well. Findings demand the practice of clinical supervision as an effective and awareness-raising teacher education program to help teachers reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses and self-regulate their teaching practicum.

The 5E Learning Cycle Model (Bybee, 1990) is an instructional design model which has roots in inquiry-based learning and constructivism and has received much support in non-EFL-related literature as a way to improve 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and creativity, among students and to prepare them for an amazing occupational future. However, little work has been done on the model concerning English language students; hence, this study dealt with the effect of 5E-based online activities on English language students’ critical thinking and creativity. The study utilized a mixed method grounded theory method approach. A sample of 60 adult English language students studying in a pre-IELTS class at a private language academy took part in the study during a 12-session semester, in addition to an extra session at the beginning of the semester, in which they received instruction with regard to the platforms to be used, namely Easyclass and Nearpod. Student interviews and self-reflections, teacher interviews, self-reflections, and field notes were applied to extract qualitative data, and student self-assessment checklists were used to gain quantitative data. The analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data via an independent sample t-test, inductive thematic analysis, and grounded theory demonstrated that the employment of 5E-based online activities culminated in the improvement of EFL learners’ critical thinking and creativity. The findings have theoretical and practical implications not only for 21st-century language practitioners’ education and competencies but also for curriculum development.

The main purpose of the study was to explore the connection between teachers' critical thinking, autonomy, and their teaching experience among public and private English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. In addition, the differences between the two main contexts of English language learning (public and private contexts) were scrutinized vis a vis teachers' critical thinking and their autonomy. Two different groups of EFL private language institute teachers and EFL high school teachers were selected from two major cities in Khorasan Razavi, Iran. As the results of Path Analysis indicated, all subfactors of EFL teachers' critical thinking (analysis, evaluation, inference, inductive reasoning) except deductive reasoning were positive significant predictors of their autonomy. Additionally, the experience was a positive significant predictor of their autonomy. Furthermore, among five sub-factors of EFL teachers' critical thinking, four subfactors were predicted by experience including analysis, inference, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning. However, the experience did not predict evaluation. Also, the results of the Pearson correlation indicated that critical thinking was positively associated with autonomy with a moderate connection, and positively and weakly with experience. Furthermore, the results of the t-test for independent samples indicated that there was a significant difference between the two different contexts in the level of autonomy with private EFL teachers being more autonomous than public EFL teachers. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between the two types of context in critical thinking.

One of the important sections of PhD dissertations where authors must evaluate and interpret their research findings critically is the dissertation Discussion chapter (DDC). Given the significance of this section and the undeniable role of critical thinking in presenting arguments in DDC, the rhetorical structures of 120 DDCs in applied linguistics from Anglophone and Iranian state universities were compared and analyzed manually employing Crombie’s (1985) taxonomy of interpropositional relations. The findings of the study indicated that, at the semantic level, the three most frequent binary semantic interpropositional relations used by both groups of the study were Reason/Result, Ground/Conclusion, and Simple Comparison, respectively. These findings reveal the high potential of the coherence relations for establishing arguments and thus incorporating critical thinking in DDCs. The study has important implications for postgraduate students to develop a deeper understanding of the rhetorical means used in the DDCs and the necessity to incorporate critical thinking into this chapter.