PLANNING LESSONS FOR CRITICAL THINKING: A WAY TO IMPROVE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN THE ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Cynthia Soledad Hidalgo Camacho,Wilma Guadalupe Villacís Villacís

doi:10.29033/id.v11i1.642

Abstract

Encouraging critical thinking (CT) in the EFL classroom is something that every professional in the educational field should be responsible for. The aim of this paper was to make an analysis of different studies on the topic. The methodology used was based on a descriptive study through the analysis of several primary sources such as research papers on the topic that have been published in scientific journals, books, records of or- ganizations, among others. These sources lead to the identification of important elements in a lesson plan for critical thinking: elements of thought, intellectual standards and intellectual traits. Writing good learning objectives is just as important as selecting effective activities and determining ideal assessments to facilitate that teachers and students perceive what is to be achieved in the class and how. Aligning the tenets of critical thin- king when planning a lesson promotes real learning in our students through the achievement of effective learning outcomes. In conclusion, critical thinking skills need to be developed on a daily basis rather than as a part of isolated lessons that uncommonly take place.

Highlights

One of the biggest challenges that teachers have is to work with students that are not critical thinkers
It is important to remember that real learning involves raising vital questions, formulating problems, gathering and assessing information, adopting a point of view and communicating effectively, among other implications found in critical thinking assessment (Paul & Elder, 2016, p.3)
The principal concepts of critical thinking which have propelled to the forefront in investigations on how to improve learning process and studentslearning outcomes are examined as a combination of well written objectives, standards, strategies and assessment that provide the proper groundwork to plan lessons on

Summary

INTRODUCTION

One of the biggest challenges that teachers have is to work with students that are not critical thinkers. Whether teaching content or a new language, teachers generally encounter situations where such processes are not as meaningful as they should, due to the lack of the stimulus to think or act critically, as expressed by Fiallos (2017) This situation characterizes lessons in primary schools, high schools and universities. Competent students in a global society are proficient communicators, creators, critical thinkers, and collaborators: the Four Cs (Roekel, 2011, p.7) In this regard, Spahiu and Spahiu (2013) stated the relevance of the role of the teacher to achieve satisfactory results in the teaching and learning process. Educators are required to place value on opportunities to generate environments where learners participate in activities which promote higher order thinking Another key to remember is the necessity to consider the teachers’ own critical thinking skills. It is important to remember that real learning involves raising vital questions, formulating problems, gathering and assessing information, adopting a point of view and communicating effectively, among other implications found in critical thinking assessment (Paul & Elder, 2016, p.3)

LITERATURE REVIEW

CONCLUSION