Impact of Critical Thinking Instruction Through Argument Mapping Techniques on Iranian Male and Female EFL Learners’ Critical Thinking Ability and Reading Skill

Abstract

This study addressed the impact of teaching critical thinking (CT) principles through argument mapping (AM) techniques on the CT and reading abilities of a number of Iranian male and female EFL learners who studied English at a language institute in Isfahan province. For this purpose, 30 male and 30 female intermediate EFL learners were chosen on the basis of their performance on the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT); further, the reading section of an IELTS practice test was applied. For the collection of the required data, California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST), which had been validated in Persian, was conducted twice, once before and once after the treatment. The study employed a quantitative pretest-treatment-posttest design in which AM techniques including information organization, structure reasoning, evidence consideration, assumption identification, evaluation of arguments, and communication of conclusions were introduced to the participants in 6 steps. Then, the CCTST and IELTS reading sections were administered again as the posttests. The statistical analysis of the obtained results using the paired-samples t test, based on the comparison of CT and reading ability according to the scores obtained from the pretest and posttest taken by the male and female learners, revealed the improvement in the five subcomponents belonging CT and reading ability from pretest to posttest. The present study provides insights useful for EFL teachers, learners and materials developers.

Keywords

• argument mapping
• critical thinking
• gender
• iranian efl learners
• reading comprehension