Master of pedagogical sciences, Alzhanova A. O.

Eurasian national university, Kazakhstan

Getting critical thinker with students today

I have read the article “Vocabulary and Grammar: Critical Content for Critical Thinking” by Michael Clay Thompson. Every reading gives a food for thought somehow. The author represents an interesting issue for thinking and then redesigning the learning process to the best side. Let us think about the words, particularly. Should we use the classic words while teaching the modern English for students nowadays? Is it really useful and necessary for them? I agree with Michael Clay Thompson that the more words student knows the better for him or for her, I also think so. But what about those classic Greek and Latin words?

I also support the idea of learning the foreign language. According to Thompson and Thompson, the studying the foreign language is helpful for students, even when they use their native language. So here we may ask ourselves: How can we, teachers of languages and Methodists, make it easier for students to get involved into the process of learning? I believe, this question is too wide to give the exact answer. There are a lot of them. It provokes a lot of other questions.

I have watched the video about little kids and their teacher and their relationship with each other, among the pupils in the class, it is very touching, no doubt (for me too touching, I was like the little Japanese girls, crying). I think the direction that teacher work on in the class is right from all sides. For me it is important, can I use the techniques from this video for my students who are 17 years old? What I should do to compose the good rapport with CT in the class while teaching?

In our department of teaching foreign languages there was a discussion about what book we should use, and there was a decision to use New English File from Oxford Press. All our students should follow the intermediate level as the most of them are at this level, whether the weak and strong students have different tasks.

I know that CT is very important, and as my students are already adults I try to ask them some up-to-date questions or questions that make them think, and then we have a discussion in English, so they 1) think; 2) express their opinions in foreign language. It is like a case study. It is interesting both for them and for me. Of course, I cannot use this technique for every group I have, groups are different, but I try to find a way to involve them in to the learning process.

Earlier I knew about the CT while being MA student, it is really necessary for everybody to deal with the CT not only in working with students teaching them some disciplines, but in daily life also, I believe.

All the reading material is important. Now I want to tell about the article by C. Garrison and M. Ehringhaus called "Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom". I used the techniques that are mentioned in the paper, but did not think about their clear type-titles. Every 7-th and 8-th week we have mid-term check works and of course in the end of the semester itself we have the examinations that are summative assessments. It is also mentioned in the syllabus we make for every semester for the different specialties. I suppose, it is the crucial part of the learning process. I agree with the statements in this work. I think I could find more interesting tasks for the mid-term works but related to the grammar of the past themes (just to make less pressure for students and avoid the stressful atmosphere in class).

Then the continuation of the article in "Word program" format is very useful, and full of the examples that we need, the title of the article is "Examples of Formative Assessments". I like most of all the "Discussion" part. It is formative assessments. I support the idea that: «The teacher can initiate the discussion by presenting students with an open-ended question.  The goal is to build knowledge and develop critical and creative thinking skills." by (Black and William 1998; Doherty 2003). Developing the critical and creative skills! That is amazing idea!

In my teaching the foreign language I used to use the PPT presentations, I believe they are very easy to use, to create, to present in class at any stage of teaching, whether it is the introduction to the new topic or the doing the practice work in grammar for repetition. I should spend some hours to prepare well with the good presentation to use it properly in class, to make it clear for students to understand, to follow the ideas. The activity could be the discussion an issue (according to syllabus) or questioning as a checking work at the end of the unit. As for me, I prefer to use the PPT for introducing the new theme. The slides are good helpers here in this case.

I like the article written by Ken Bain ("Critical thinking and technology"). We, teachers, should motivate them to learn, and I think, using the colorful slides, the appropriate pictures and even music and interesting topics for discussions - all these could involve them into the process of learning. I also agree with the motivating and challenging students rather than stress them. Taking into consideration all points, I may use PPT with different tools: the Overhead projector, or if the class is small then just notebook, or even just large paper-based pictures, then it would be presentation, but not the PPT.

Concerning the constraints I must say that the first thing that comes to my mind is constraint about the overcrowded classes. Usually the typical group should consist of maximum 15 students, but we have many groups with nearly 20 of them. I believe, this constraint related both with two: personal and professional life. I prefer to be in more silent atmosphere, in noisy spaces I cannot concentrate enough, and it is not a comfort for me. So, I think, the personal effects on professional sphere of mine. It is difficult to teach to students English, aside the CT, sometimes in such big classes.

I like the article of Tim van Gelder called "Teaching Critical Thinking. Some lessons from cognitive science". He gives good advice. For me the idea of practice is inspiring. I guess I have not enough practice with teaching such a hard thing as a CT via foreign language in big classes, but as the author say: "Humans are not naturally critical." and "Critical thinking may be difficult, but it certainly is not impossible." These words give me strength for working forward indeed. It is also fine that Tim van Gelder is an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy. Everything in the world deals with philosophy.

Bibliography:

1. Black, William 1998; Doherty 2003, “Examples of Formative Assessments"

2. C. Garrison, M. Ehringhaus, "Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom".

3. Michael Clay Thompson, “Vocabulary and Grammar: Critical Content for Critical Thinking”

4. Tim van Gelder, "Teaching Critical Thinking. Some lessons from cognitive science".

5. Ken Bain, "Critical thinking and technology"