Филологические науки/1.Методика  преподавания языка и литературы.

Smat Nurlygul Torebekkyzy, Issayev Serzhan Izdashuly

smat.nurligul@gmail.com, serzhan-isaev@mail.ru

L.N.Gumilyev Eurasian National University, speciality “Foreign languages: two foreign languages”, Astana, Kazakhstan

EFFECTIVENESS OF USING CRITICAL THINKING IN TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Critical thinking skill is extremely necessary if individuals are to live, work, and function effectively in our current and changing society. Harvey Siegel regards that critical thinking aims at producing a self-sufficient person, who is a liberate person, “free from the unwarranted and undesirable control of unjustified beliefs”. [1]

If our students knew and used critical thinking skills, the whole process of studying would become easier and more effective. Students clearly feel the need for these skills when carrying out their own researches. According to Stella Cottrell, critical thinking as a student means:

- finding out where the best evidence lies for the subject you are discussing;

- evaluating the strength of the evidence to support different arguments;

- coming to an interim conclusion about where the available evidence appears to lead;

- constructing line of reasoning to guide your audience through the evidence and lead them towards your conclusion;

- selecting the best examples;

- providing evidence to illustrate your argument. [2]

Critical thinking is not a new concept or practice. Most teachers might be impressed to learn that critical thinking can be traced back many centuries ago. In fact, it has been practiced from times immemorial, notably, by Socrates and Plato.

Defining critical thinking might seem difficult, especially because the term tends to be used repeatedly without actually reflecting on its true meaning. To begin with, we can state that critical thinking is a quality able to be developed throughout life.

Critical thinking is one of the four most prioritized skills demanded in the 21st century. That is why notional shifts in the education system tend to value critical, creative and innovative ideas. It also capitalizes the relevance and application of critical thinking in education. They briefly define critical thinking as it is the conceptualization, analysis, application, synthesis and evaluation of one’s thinking to improve and make it new through overcoming ego-centric and socio-centric views. Paul’s model of critical thinking also characterized that critical thinking has intellectual traits (the dispositional aspects that a critical thinker develops), elements of thought (components that the practice of thinking need to possess) and intellectual standards (criteria to be implemented to realize critical thinking) as the three dimensions. [3]

While we are teaching English, we teach different kinds of texts such as essays, poems, stories, memoirs, biographies, dramas, novels, ect. In order to teach these discourses, we can very wisely utilize critical thinking strategies, which can help us shift activities from teacher centered to students centered. These strategies can help us dissect texts into various pieces and analyze each piece with some criteria or standards.

Critical thinking is an ongoing process in which all language learners must engage, regardless of their language proficiency levels. Critical thinking involves the use of information, experience, and world knowledge in ways which allow language learners to seek alternatives, make inferences, pose questions, and solve problems, thereby signaling understanding in a variety of complex ways. In order to learn language well, learners need to use creative and critical thinking through target language, that’s why critical thinking should be added into English teaching classrooms.

When teaching English as a foreign language from beginner level, students are still unable to convey their thoughts and opinions in English. Asking them to do so would be very demotivating and unproductive. This does not mean we can't prepare students to be able to understand the skills that are required to become a critical thinker.

The steps that lead to students being successful critical thinkers come from learning to solve problems, ask questions and connect ideas in their first and second language. The first step to being a successful critical thinker in English is to understand the differences in the way native English speakers use and manipulate language in order to convey their ideas. This means looking at how native speakers approach cohesiveness in their communication by looking at compare and contrast, giving opinions, narratives, cause and effect and many other functional parts of language that lead to successful communication with a native speaker.

With beginner students, it is important that as they learn a language, they get to see it in the context of the above ideas so they can grow a sense of how the language is to be used. Focusing purely on grammar rules and memorizing vocabulary will help students to pass tests, but by itself will not lead students to be successful speakers of English.

From this we can see that the need for critical thinking in teaching English Language exists. And although we still do not have handbooks or instructional materials to use in our classrooms, there is a lot we can do as teachers. We should challenge our students, make them consider alternative opinions, require the reasons for their own opinions and decisions. Keep in mind that there is a strong relationship between an open, supportive, and structured classroom climate, where opinions on issues may be explored and expressed in a free and disciplined manner, and development of critical thinking and attitudes supportive of it. Providing situations that simulate real-life situations increases the probability that skills will be used. Providing modeling of the skills, ample opportunities for practice, and feedback on the effectiveness of the student's thinking are also important considerations.

We constructed following critical thinking activity according to mind mirror project by Mathew M. Tully. [4] For this activity we chose the book “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone” by J.K. Rowling, because:

- The level of the book is acceptable

- Vocabulary and grammatical structures were appropriate for the students

Before beginning the activity we discussed about the key theme and vocabularies from the book. We talked about their impressions from the book. Then they were divided into groups and given the tasks for the critical thinking activity. Each group would be given by one character and they should answer the questions on the paper, and describe their given characters. In order to supplement the written instruction, one student was displayed as a sample mind mirror of her that all students could identify. The activity consisted of following items:

- Two symbols – a book and a pen

- Two background images – doing home works and a dormitory

- Two adjectives that describe the person’s feelings or actions – cheerful and warm-hearted

- Two sentences in the character’s own words:

1) “I should have been prepared for my lessons.”

2) “I miss my long hair.”

- Two original statements that describe how the reader feels about the character:

1) “I think this character enjoys everything she does.”

2) “Even this character seems thoughtless, she cares about everyone around her.

The students could immediately guess that the mind mirror was about their group mate. They found out by identifying symbols and phrases. After they saw the example of mind mirror, they started to do their own work sheets, each group their own characters. Before they started their tasks, they were told to:

- When they do their own mind mirror items, they should do it that other their group mates could guess, they should do it understandable.

- They should work as one, instead of creating separate pictures.

- They should remember that they are not in the art lesson. Instead they should be creative and work in team.

- In their work they are allowed to draw any symbol and texts, to make facial features as eyes, lips, nose, ears, and hair.

After they were instructed about the process and rules of making mind mirror, each group chose one character from a hat. They mustn’t tell the name of their character to each other. In first they worked individually, they didn’t share their findings with their group mates, who have the same character. They filled the worksheet with their answers about the character they had picked.

Then they were asked to sit together with the group mates who had taken the same character’s name. They reviewed each other’s answer and decided on which elements from their worksheets they would create their group mind mirror poster about the character.

Each group were given different color of markers to illustrate their posters, and told to use only their own color. Each group started to draw their decisions and opinions about the character on the poster.

Each group posted their works on the wall, and they started to guess other group’s characters. During the activity, we could see that students are comfortable and confident. They openly uttered their opinions, discussed their answers with group mates without problem. All the students take part in this activity, even those who were actually shy and quiet. It was the reason of they were divided into small groups, where they can discuss about everyone’s answer and share opinions openly.

This activity can help students easily guess the key themes and vocabularies of the texts and books. Instead of individual home works, making such activities in the class, where participate all class, is better. This activity helps students to focus on task and teamwork.

This activity helps teacher to provide opportunities for students to discuss thinking process used to complete the tasks, and help students to become self-aware, confident.

The activity above helps teacher to develop his students’ interpretation skill, to teach students’ to catch the key elements easier. Also it helps to build inference skill. By this activity teacher teaches his students’ to draw right conclusions. And finally this activity develops the students’ self-regulation skills. By working in groups and listening to their group mate’s opinion students correct their own mistakes. They learn to share their thought with others. It develops a critical mindset and reflects the skills that the students will need in their future studies and work.

To sum up, it is useful to use critical thinking activities in English language lessons. Any English Language teacher faces the tough problem of teaching the language in a creative and innovative method. Though many students are able to understand the language, most of the students face the problem of communicating their ideas effectively. Critical thinking activities at lessons help to solve this problem, as it increases motivation and improves learning outcomes. We should challenge our students, make them consider alternative opinions, require the reasons for their own opinions and decisions. Providing situations that simulate real-life situations increases the probability that skills will be used. Providing modeling of the skills, ample opportunities for practice, and feedback on the effectiveness of the student's thinking are also important considerations. Critical thinking skills help students to make better judgments about the veracity and worth of information. It guides students to a more natural discovery of language and how it can be used effectively.

Bibliography:

1. Harvey Siegel “Educating reason: Rationality, Critical Thinking and Education” Routledge, 1988 p.8-13

2. Stella Cottrell, Critical Thinking Skill, 2005 p.14-20

3. Richard R. Day “Teaching Critical Thinking and Discussion” The Language Teacher, July 2003 p.27-35

4. Mathew M. Tully “Mind Mirror Projects: A tool for integrating Critical thinking into the English Language Classrooms”. English Teaching Forum, Volume 47, Number 1, 2009 p.10-18