A Pedagogical Approach to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Japanese EFL Learners

Abstract

This chapter suggests a pedagogical approach that promotes students' critical thinking (CT) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses. The Japanese Central Council for Education has stressed its importance, which was reflected in the revised 2021/2022 Japanese National Curriculum. However, although the curriculum describes approaches for fostering CT, concrete approaches are not sufficiently presented. The pedagogical approaches of the IB may contain some suggestions for developing CT in Japanese EFL contexts. First, this chapter introduces the transitions created by Japanese educational reform and their relationship with fostering CT. Second, CT approaches in the EFL context and the IB's theoretical background relating to CT are extracted and examined. Finally, a possible integrated CT approach is suggested based on the IB's framework and alignment with the revised curriculum. The analysis indicates that an integrated CT approach to EFL learning should be balanced between levels of CT attributes and Japanese EFL learners' English proficiency levels.