Abstract
The original input of this study involves in creating a critical thinking structure that can be used to explore the elements of critical thinking in the textbooks. The teachers, who are concerned with the improvement of students’ critical thinking skills, can also use this structure as a guideline. This study attempts to find out the extent to which critical thinking has been manifested in the two selected English textbooks, Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) and Oxford Progressive English (OPE) taught at secondary level in different Pakistani schools. It is the text that determines how effectively the critical thinking and knowledge is being developed in the learners. Both critical thinking and knowledge are the need of students at secondary level and these skills are essential for the English Language classrooms. These skills enable the students to learn concepts more thoroughly and without this learning outcome cannot be achieved. The questions given at the end of chapters of English textbooks (PTB) and (OPE) have been qualitatively analyzed. The proposed model of critical thinking used by Janpha Thadphoothon (2005) has been employed in this study. The findings of the content revealed that both text books contained the elements of critical thinking helpful in enhancing the knowledge of the students. The PTB textbook covers 25.37% and OPE covers 43.18% of critical thinking content for the secondary students. The findings revealed that the textbook published by OPE is playing a more significant role in developing critical thinking and enhancing knowledge in the students as compared to the PTB textbook.
Highlights
During the final decade of 20th century critical thinking became a focus in the area of second and foreign language (L2) education as a critical education provides the means and skills important for independent thinking and knowledge (Paul, 1993, p. 227)
Research Questions The Study endeavors to address the following research questions: 1. What sort of knowledge is provided to the learners of secondary level through English textbooks published by Punjab Textbook Board and Oxford progressive English?
This research is conducted on the topic Study of critical thinking and Knowledge at secondary level
Summary
During the final decade of 20th century critical thinking became a focus in the area of second and foreign language (L2) education as a critical education provides the means and skills important for independent thinking and knowledge (Paul, 1993, p. 227). The proficiency to think critically is seen as a core academic skill due to its importance in learning process (Paul 2005). Critical thinking enables the learners to learn thoroughly subject specific course content. English has become an international language(Akhter, 2020).In English, the domain of language learning and critical thinking enables the learner to go beyond the word or sentence and find out the hi Edden meanings of the text. Critical thinking has its great importance in English textbooks as it develops a series of abilities that take students beyond simple comprehension of information. The surface approach is memorizing the information without understanding the deeper knowledge, and known as rote learning; whereas in the deep approach, students engage themselves in the study process to hold the deeper understanding of the ISSN:00333077 content (Duff, Boyle, Dunleavy, & Ferguson, 2003). Now-a days, a significant change has been observed in the learning and teaching of English language and the change is that major stress is given to multi word units rather than individual words(Xu, Akhter, & Qureshi, 2020)
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