Teaching for Success: the Clas…

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British Council

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1.8 You’ve completed 7 steps in Week 1

Why promote critical

thinking?
122 comments

In traditional education systems, the teacher

was seen as the only knowledge source.
Learners could not access knowledge without
the teacher and were not encouraged to do
so. Learning happened in class, and learners
learnt what the teacher taught. They were not
encouraged to question this knowledge, but
instead to accept it and memorise it.

Critical thinking means helping learners to find

answers for themselves, questioning facts rather
than simply accepting them, considering
different sources of information and asking
‘Why?’ Taking such critical approaches to
learning helps learners to:

be more independent and analytical

formulate and test hypotheses

consider other points of view

justify and explain their own ideas.

In language teaching, critical thinking might take

different forms. Below are some examples:

Asking learners to justify their ideas. This

doesn’t mean challenging learners, but
instead asking how they came to a certain
conclusion. It could simply be a case of saying
‘Yes, that’s right. Why is it right?’

Asking learners to work out patterns of

language usage, for example highlighting
examples of conditional clauses in a text and
discussing different meanings (this is
sometimes referred to as taking an inductive
approach. This might also involve contrasting
English use with the learners’ own language
(L1).

Encouraging learners to notice exceptions to

‘rules’.

Encouraging learners to notice patterns in

language, for example circling ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’
in a text and then discussing why they are
used.

Being open to questions from learners about

language.

Evaluating sources of knowledge – who

wrote/said it? Why did they write/say this?
How reliable and accurate is it? etc. For
example sources of knowledge of and about
language: coursebooks, grammar books,
language learning websites, Facebook, news
stories and so on.

Encouraging learners to do their own research

about language. For example, asking them to
research when the past simple and present
perfect are used in English, by looking at
grammar websites as well as instances of real
language use on TV, the internet, in texts etc.

As teachers, we can also incorporate critical

thinking into our professional practice. Thinking
critically about why we do what we do, and
approaching new activities and methods with a
critical mind is part of reflective practice.

Over to you
How do you promote critical thinking among
your learners?

How can critical thinking skills benefit

learners (and teachers) outside the
classroom?

© British Council

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Classroom activities for critical thinking

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SF Salsabil Furjani

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AK Pinned by Lead Educator

Aya Kotb Follow 17 DEC

I integrate teaching English language skills

through stories, I always use stories to highlight
grammar rule or writing patterns or even
introducing new vocabulary. The critical thinking
approach benefit the educator by making the
teaching more fun as the student isn't going to
be spoon-fed any more, it will be more like a
cycle where the teacher will take the initiation
and the student has to take a part in order to
learn and then the teacher will reflect and
summarize after students role.
For students, it will allow them to explore the
knowledge in an encouraging way which will
increase their interest in knowledge.

Meryem Oubni Follow 17 DEC

Brilliant ideas. Thanks for sharing.

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SF
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Meryem Oubni Follow 17 DEC

I do emphasise that skill of critical thinking in

English sessions by opening debates,
discussions and my students
enjoy it and they feel more relaxed. I do devide
students into 2 groups, we choose a topic
together and each group has to criticise the
ideas of the other group... sometimes I let them
use their native language when they fail to say
everything in English but as I teacher I do
interfere by providing the equivalent of the
words or sentences in English... this method has
helped them to be critical thinkers, accept
other's opinions and develop their English
language at the same time.
(edited)

suzanne mordue Following 17 DEC

Lead Educator

@MeryemOubni That's a great tip.

Debating is a good way to improve
critical thinking skills.

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SF
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Hn Houda nejjar Follow 49m

I promote critical thinking skills among my

students through asking them open-ended
questions which help them to think out of the
box. or I open a debate discussion.

EM Ebtehal Mamdouh Follow 1h

We can promote critical thinking by :

- using divergent or open-ended questions, such
as "What do you think?" or "What would happen
if...... ?" These questions have no right or wrong
answers ,they can have many different answers.
- offering question starters
- creating new habits ex. making questioning a
habit of mind
- attending debates, writing reviews or
reflections

AA Amira Ashraf Follow 6h

Critical thinking is so important as it help both

students and teacher to know why they use this

Nevien Gindya Follow 7h

Promoting critical thinking skills enables

students to question and make inferences and
connections between their prior knowledge and
what they have discovered or learnt. This for
sure will enable them to be life-long learners and
have sense of awareness of the changes
happening around them. Also, this will raise their
creativity by mingling what they have learnt
with what they already know to come up with a
unique production.

KM Kamilia Mechergui Follow 03 JAN

I always start my lesson with questions related

to the lesson and students start to express
themselves and give their opinions or make a
debate together. Sometimes, I ask them to
comment on photos related the lesson topic or
read a text and comment on it at the end. This
critical thinking approach is very important for
the learners since it gives them to express their
ideas properly and especially to practice the
language effectively. For teachers, critical
thinking is à good way to motivante learners and
handle communication during the lesson.

NA Naglaa Abd Elhalim Follow 01 JAN

Mohammed Amer

I promote critical thinking among my learners by

asking many and different questions , by telling
stories and ask them to end these stories.
Critical thinking skills teach students how to
think , how to solve problems , how to deal with
difficult and different situations outside the
classroom .
(edited)

Malak Rabie Follow 01 JAN

Actually its not easy to promote this skill in

students especially students with low levels..
but I am trying to ask a deep questions

BB Bethany Bakr Follow 31 DEC

I promote critical thinking among my learners

but using analogies, encouraging interaction
among students, asking open-ended questions,
giving student time to analyze before answering
and using real life scenarios.

Critical thinking skills benefit learners and

teachers outside the classroom by helping us to
think creatively or ‘outside the box’. It decreases
narrowmindedness. Critical thinking is expected
in higher education. It can lead to developing
one's judgement, evaluation and problem solving
abilities.

FI Faisal Ibrahim Follow 30 DEC

I as PD committee head looking for guest

speakers to train lecturers on CT and how to
implement it effectively in their virtual
classrooms. This will affect positively on the
students ways of thinking and giving them a
chance to think out of the box especially when
they deal with current issues in their country.

FI Faisal Ibrahim Follow 30 DEC

Critical thinking is a long-life skill for teachers

and students, as well. It leads to improving other
skills of reading, writing, and speaking. In the
classroom, I work very hard on that when
dealing with debates, and discussions related to
their daily situations or related to familial and
societal issues. They give them a golden
opportunity to think out of box. I always ask my
students whether they agree, disagree , or not
sure with their mates' opinions and why or why
not? through breakout rooms in MS teams
platform. I can also implement using surveys for
reading and projects

Abdadiam Aljrushi Follow 29 DEC

Before any grammar lesson, I write a short story,

three or four sentences, on the whiteboard. I
deliberately make two mistakes, one
grammatical & the other is spelling. Then I read
the story, and ask "Do you think I made
mistakes? (sometimes I mispronounce some
words) "in which sentence I made it? Was it in
grammar? or spelling? .. "why?" and so on. When
a student gives me an answer, I ask another
student " Do you agree with him?" and "why"
In reading lessons, after we finish the lesson, I
ask them to do a search for a person or a
place..etc. in the lesson. I tell them we discuss
what you get in the next class.

MA Maha Abuarmana Follow 29 DEC

Normally i use open disscussion and debates ,

it's very useful and my students love to think and
share ideas even low achievers can be involved
easily , and as a teacher i just monitor and direct
them .

MM Mouhsine Moursi Follow 29 DEC

I promote critical thinking by referring to myself

as a facilitator and not a knowledge provider. For
example, with some of my advanced classes I
just start grammar lessons with a dialogue that
contains the target structure and let students
analyze it to extract its form and uses, and
sometimes if it doesn't contain the whole uses I
add them myself at the end. I also encourage
students to do their research at home by saying:
" I'm only a human, u should check if I'm right."

BM Boubaker Mokhtari Follow 28 DEC

Critical thinking shifts the knowledge to the

learner more and makes his the responsible for
his progress. This will help both the teacher; it
lifts the burden for the teacher and prepares the
learner for the outside world.

GF Ghazi Farouk Follow 28 DEC

I use the comparison between languages

because i teach English for law student.

bt boutheina tabesh Follow 28 DEC

Students can use critical thinking skills and

different English domains. Incomprehension with
a can reason why a character did a certain
action and what would the same character do if
he or she wear in a different setting with
different characters .
In grammar students can can use reasoning and
identify how adjectives name or modify people
Places animals or things and how these
adjectives show how many, wear
and when.
As for me as a teacher I can use critical thinking
by analysing what are the different needs of my
students and cater my lesson towards the
needs.

AE Adil EL ALAOUI Follow 28 DEC

I promote critical thinking among my learners

starting from the first session of the school year
by telling that learning involves making mistakes
and learning from them. Moreover, the learners
have to work on a project at the end of most
units wherein they look for information by
themselves, inspect, analyse, evaluate their
findings and present the final product.
Critical thinking skills enable learners (and
teachers) to be active and productive members
in society, who understand what goes on around
them and make conscious efforts to change or
develop their circumstances.

HM Hayat Messekher Follow 27 DEC

Sometimes the courses we teach can be more

conducive to critical thinking than others. As I
teach an Intercultural Communication class, it's
easier to promote critical thinking. I select
readings that students that students can relate
to in different ways, sometimes they can identify
themselves with the readings or just the
opposite. Going through the readings, having
class discussions on key concepts and aspects
helps students deconstruct the readings and
critique them. They have to use evidence to
justify their answers and consider both sides of
arguments. Students love this and engage
quickly as they have an opportunity to express
their opinions and feelings. They make their
voices heard.

KM Kaouthar Mabrouk Follow 27 DEC

If I speak about how to promote critical thinking

among my learners,I can say that when I began
for example the lesson with a dialogue I asked
them to change the names of characters and the
content to see if they were able to think deeply
about what I gave them as information or not.
And I noticed at the same time that my learners
were more motivated because a group was
thinking and proposing different ideas,the other
group was criticizing what the other group was
saying.
That is why,I think that critical thinking skills can
benefit both learners and teachers outside the
classroom.For example the teacher can put in
his/her reflective journal all sorts of proposals
that he/her think that learners can propose and
be ready to accept their ideas.Regarding
learners,they become more independent and
analytical which leads them to justify and
explain their ideas without simply accepting
what the others said.

Esraa Ahmed Follow 27 DEC

critical thinking can help the student to be more

fluent in English by creating debates between
them and by present and sharing the ideas.

AK Amel Khelifa Follow 27 DEC

I promote critical thinking among my learners by

using pictures,stories and ask them some
question and sometimes make debates and let
them express their ideas freely ; the benefit of
critical thinking skills among learners (and
teachers) outside the classroom are :
help them to not accepte all the ideas and
thoughts

AK Aziz KACHT Follow 27 DEC

Personally, I have the habit of asking learners to

justify their answers, assumptions, suggestions
and all ideas in general. I also urge them not to
take things for granted and dare to ask the
impossible question though it may seem silly to
them.
Sure critical thinking is not limited to classroom
learning use. It is a life skill. That is to say, when
we adopt this way of thinking, we avoid false
hasty interpretaions. We make decisions out of
our proper firm convictions not just because
others made them.

SA Sara Abd elrahman Follow 26 DEC

I encourage learners to notice patterns of

learning. For example, I write a sentence and ask
them to find out the rule through noticing
changes in the verb. I also ask them to justify
their ideas and answers to make sure they fully
understand and not copying. I encourage them
to do their own research to find out new things
about our topics and we discuss together.
-critical thinking is important because it help
people understand not just copy or memorise. It
works on IQ as well. It helps them to be creative
and be self-independent. They are not spoon-
fed.

ha hamdy aly Follow 25 DEC

For me , Encourage my learners to justify his

answer , instead of accepting his answer only ,
he should tell me why . For example , in the
multiple choice question, the learner should say
why he chose his answer and not the other
answers .this technique helps the learners to
justify his answers that lead to be more analytic
.

MF Mehdi Fodha Follow 25 DEC

project-based learning encompasses many of

these strategies.

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