Assessing Teachers’ Perceptions of Using Criticality-Enhancing English Language Materials inside EFL Classes

Abstract

Explicit teaching may provide great opportunities for critical thinking to flourish. This paper examines the degree to which the need for developing such a critical view of language learning among English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) teachers is rigorously felt and is taken into consideration. To this end, a researcher-made inventory, namely Criticality-oriented English Teaching Perceptions Inventory (CEPTI), was distributed among 150 EFL teachers. The results of the questionnaire and follow-up face-to-face interviews indicated that teachers were still not ready for a change towards explicit teaching of criticality-oriented skills inside the English language classes. Subsequent to assessing teachers’ perceptions, Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, Form A (WGCTA-FA) was given to a total number of 100 EFL learners. Findings revealed that learners did not score high on the WGCTA. The pedagogical implications of the study are discussed.

Keywords

• critical thinking instruction
• CEPTI
• WGCTA-FA