critical Thinking 121212
Doha Independent Preparatory School
English Department
Second Semester Project 2010 / 2011
FACTORS INFLUENCING
CRITICAL THINKING
IN THE ELT CONTEXT
Written by :
Ahmad Abdurrahman Khalid – English Teacher
ABSTRACT
Critical thinking is a very important skill for preparing successful citizens and students for a rapidly changing and challenging world. A prominent international language like English is very important for achieving critical thinking within the Qatari language education context. However, certain factors in the Qatari English language teaching (ELT) system influence the acquisition of English language, which in turn has its direct negative implications for the acquisition of critical thinking skills. These factors are the teachers, syllabus, assessment, and the non-ELT system.
This chapter hence critically discusses these four factors and attempts to draw conclusions about ways of incorporating critical thinking skills within the Qatari ELT context to produce better trained and prepared students who can contribute to their well-being and building modern Qatar .
INTRODUCTION
Critical thinking is a very important skill for the development of students. Its importance has been highlighted by many writers in the education literature. However, the literature on English language teaching (ELT) is short of publications that establish a link between English language and critical thinking and highlight the importance of English language as a fundamental tool for acquiring a vital skill like critical thinking.
Thus, while ELT in Qatar has been suffering from planning and implementation drawbacks over the past four decades or so , the incorporation of critical thinking has been more or less missing from the Qatari ELT classrooms for different reasons. Four factors are considered to impede using English and thinking about it critically in the Qatari ELT context. These are the teachers, syllabus, assessment,
English Department
Second Semester Project 2010 / 2011
FACTORS INFLUENCING
CRITICAL THINKING
IN THE ELT CONTEXT
Written by :
Ahmad Abdurrahman Khalid – English Teacher
ABSTRACT
Critical thinking is a very important skill for preparing successful citizens and students for a rapidly changing and challenging world. A prominent international language like English is very important for achieving critical thinking within the Qatari language education context. However, certain factors in the Qatari English language teaching (ELT) system influence the acquisition of English language, which in turn has its direct negative implications for the acquisition of critical thinking skills. These factors are the teachers, syllabus, assessment, and the non-ELT system.
This chapter hence critically discusses these four factors and attempts to draw conclusions about ways of incorporating critical thinking skills within the Qatari ELT context to produce better trained and prepared students who can contribute to their well-being and building modern Qatar .
INTRODUCTION
Critical thinking is a very important skill for the development of students. Its importance has been highlighted by many writers in the education literature. However, the literature on English language teaching (ELT) is short of publications that establish a link between English language and critical thinking and highlight the importance of English language as a fundamental tool for acquiring a vital skill like critical thinking.
Thus, while ELT in Qatar has been suffering from planning and implementation drawbacks over the past four decades or so , the incorporation of critical thinking has been more or less missing from the Qatari ELT classrooms for different reasons. Four factors are considered to impede using English and thinking about it critically in the Qatari ELT context. These are the teachers, syllabus, assessment,
References: Alagozlu, N. (2007). Critical thinking and voices in ELT writing. Asian EFL Journal, 9, (3) Al-Abri, Z. (2003). Attitudes of Omani secondary school students towards learning English Al-Alawi, K. (1994). The teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in 3rd year secondary education in Oman with special reference to reading. Al-Balushi, O. (1999). The internet and Omani students English language learning problems: critical study Al-Busaidi, K. (1995). English in the labour market in multilingual Oman with special reference to Omani employees Al-Hammami, H. (1999). Education for the 21st century general education reform in the Sultanate of Oman: motives, nature and strategies of implementation. Al-Hashami, A. (2004). EFL teachers’ practices of reflective teaching in Oman Al Issa, A. (2002). An ideological and discursive analysis of English language teaching in the Sultanate of Oman Al Issa, A. (2005a). An ideological discussion of the impact of the NNESTs’ English language knowledge on Omani ESL policy implementation Journal On-line, 7 (3). Retrieved June 16, 2009, from http://www. asian-efljournal. Al-Issa, A. (2005b, May). An Ideological Discussion of the Place & Role of Exams in the Omani ELT System Al-Issa, A. (2005c). The implications of the teacher educator’s ideological role to the ELT system in Oman Al-Issa, A. (2005d). The place of the English language culture in the Omani ELT system – An ideological perspective Al-Issa (2006a). Ideologies governing teaching the language skills in the Omani ELT system Al-Issa, A. (2006b). Language problems facing Omani learners of English. Al-Issa, A. (2006c). The cultural & economic politics of ELT in the Sultanate of Oman Al-Issa (2007a). An ideological discussion of the implications of implementing a “flexible” syllabus for ESL policy in Sultanate of Oman (August, Al-Issa, A. (2007b). English language teaching at the College of Law – Muscat, Sultanate of Oman: Analyzing needs & understanding problems Al-Issa, A. (2008). The implications of the teacher training program to the ELT policy implementation in Oman Al-Issa, A. (2009a). ELT games and teacher beliefs: The use of games in teacher education in Oman Al-Issa, A. (2009b, April). Omani ELT school curriculum: Policy & practice. Al-Issa, A. (2009c). Reflection through peer collaboration: A study from Omani ELT classrooms Al-Kahtani, S. (1999). Teaching ESL reading using computers. The Internet TESL Journal V (11) Al-Kalbani, N. (2004). Omani English teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the role of grammar instruction in EFL teaching and learning Al-Mamari, A. (2007). The effect of teaching EFL online on the achievement and attitudes of grade 11 students Al-Rasbiah, S. (2006). In-service training needs of EFL teachers in Oman. Al-Shabibi, A. (2004). EFL teachers’ tacit beliefs about writing instruction in Oman Al-Shihy, H. (2003). Omani English teachers’ perceptions of the teacher education program at Sultan Qaboos University: An evaluative study Al-Toubi, S. (1998). A perspective on change in the Omani ELT curriculum: structural to communicative Apple, M. (1993). Official knowledge. New York: Routledge. Ashton, P. (1988). Teaching higher-order thinking and content: An essential ingredient in teacher preparation Babrakzai, F. (2001). ELT in the secondary schools and university in Oman: looking for nexus Barkhuizen, G., & Gough, D. (1996). Language curriculum development in South Africa: What place for English? TESOL Quarterly, 30 (3), 453-471. Beyer, B. K. (1995). Critical thinking. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Bloom B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook I: The Cognitive Domain Boyer, E. (1983). High school. New York: Harper and Row. Bruder, I. (1993). What 's new in textbooks? Electronic Learning, 13(1), 14. Bruss, N. & Macedo, D. (1985). Toward a pedagogy of the question: Conversations with Paulo Freire Burkhalter, N. (1993, November). How persuasive writing aids critical