Characteristics of facilitated critical thinking when students listen to and speak English as an additional language in Indonesia

Abstract

This article presents a qualitative case study of a teacher facilitating Critical Thinking (CT) through listening and speaking in an English as an Additional Language (EAL) Year 10 Indonesian high school class. Such CT facilitation and development are required not only by the Indonesian government's EAL policies, but also in other countries with developing economies. CT is thought to promote language acquisition as well is being developed through language learning, if well-facilitated. This article presents a case study of a teacher and her class based on triangulated data comprising pre- and post-interviews with the teacher, student classroom observations and documents on lesson plans, content materials, syllabus and assessment practices. The findings revealed evidence for rich CT when analysed through the analytical framework of Critical Thinking in English Listening and Speaking (CTELS). However, factors were identified as obstacles for CT development, including first language interference, insufficient authentic content materials and constraints on the design of appropriate assessment tasks. These barriers to effective facilitation of CT in EAL listening and speaking form the basis for further investigation of the areas of CT in EAL listening and speaking pedagogy and assessment. Moreover, the CTELS shows promise to illuminate CT as evidenced by students and has the potential to guide teacher facilitation of CT.