HUE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
*****

COURSE: CRITICAL THINKING IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

FINAL ASSIGNMENT

Course instructor:Assoc. Prof. Dr. LE PHAM HOAI HUONG

AcademicYear: 2023-2024
Students:
Phan Minh Quang – 20F7010225
Nguyễn Thị Thanh Hiếu – 20F7010015

HUE, 11/2023
I. Introduction

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information from
various sources and perspectives, and to use it to form logical and well-reasoned judgments.
Critical thinking is essential for effective communication, problem-solving, and lifelong learning.

In this response, I will use the textbook Tiếng Anh 10 - Global Success, published by the
Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training in 2022, as the main source of materials for the
activities. This textbook follows the national curriculum for English education and covers 10
units with various topics and skills. The textbook also includes a workbook, a teacher’s book,
and audio files. I will attach the relevant pages from the textbook in the appendices.

The activities that I will design are based on the principles of critical thinking education, such as:

● Encouraging students to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and seek evidence

● Providing students with authentic and meaningful tasks that require them to apply their
knowledge and skills in real-world situations
● Engaging students in collaborative and cooperative learning, where they can exchange
ideas, opinions, and feedback with their peers and teachers
● Developing students’ meta cognitive skills, where they can monitor and reflect on their
own thinking and learning processes
● Assessing students’ critical thinking skills using various methods and criteria, such as
rubrics, portfolios, and self-assessment

The activities are also aligned with the objectives and outcomes of the textbook, which aim to
develop students’ language proficiency and intercultural competence. The activities are
designed to integrate the four language skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), as well
as culture and critical thinking, in a holistic and interactive way.

II. Activity
Activity 1: Reading and Critical Thinking

Aim: To help students practice their reading comprehension and critical thinking skills by
analyzing the arguments and evidence in a text.

Procedure:

● Before reading the text (1), ask students to brainstorm some possible benefits and
drawbacks of volunteering, and write them on the board.
● Ask students to read the text and identify the main argument and the supporting
evidence that the author uses. They can work in pairs.
 ● Ask students to compare their answers with their partner, and discuss whether they
agree or disagree with the author’s argument and evidence. They should provide
reasons and examples to support their opinions.
● Ask some students to share their opinions with the whole class, and encourage other
students to ask questions or challenge their views.

Activity 2: Speaking and Critical Thinking (2)

Aim: To help students practice their speaking and critical thinking skills by participating in a
debate on a controversial topic.

Procedure:

● Divide the class into two groups: one group will support the man side (Agree that man
should do that job), and the other group will support the woman side (Agree that woman
should do that job).
● Give each group some time to research the topic, prepare their arguments and
evidence, and rehearse their speeches. They can use the information from the textbook,
as well as other sources, such as the internet, books, or magazines.
● Arrange the classroom in a way that the two groups can face each other, and assign a
moderator (the teacher or a student) to control the time and the order of the speakers.
● Conduct the debate following these steps:
○ The moderator introduces the career and the rules of the debate.
○ The first speaker from the man side gives an opening statement, presenting their
main argument and evidence.
○ The first speaker from the negative side gives a rebuttal, refuting the argument
and evidence of the affirmative side, and presenting their own argument and
evidence.
○ The second speaker from the man side gives a rebuttal, refuting the argument
and evidence of the woman side, and presenting their own argument and
evidence.
○ The second speaker from the woman side gives a rebuttal, refuting the argument
and evidence of the man side, and presenting their own argument and evidence.
○ The third speaker from the man side gives a summary, restating their main
argument and evidence, and highlighting the weaknesses of the woman side.
○ The third speaker from the woman's side gives a summary, restating their main
argument and evidence, and highlighting the weaknesses of the man's side.
○ The moderator asks the audience (the rest of the class) to vote for the side that
they think has won the debate, and announces the result.

Activity 3: Listening and Critical Thinking (3)

Aim: To help students develop their ability to identify the main ideas and supporting details of a
listening text, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker’s persuasion techniques.

Procedure:
 ● Play the audio file (4). Ask students to listen and focus on how the salesman tries to
persuade the woman to buy the RoboVacuum. Ask them to identify the following
persuasion techniques that the salesman uses:

o Asking questions to engage the woman’s interest

o Giving instructions to demonstrate the device’s features

o Using adjectives and adverbs to emphasize the device’s benefits

o Using contrast to highlight the device’s advantages over other vacuum

cleaners

o Using rhetorical questions to imply the device’s value

● Play the audio file again and let students write down the examples of each technique in
their notebooks. Then, let them compare their answers in pairs and discuss which
technique they think is the most effective and why.

Activity 4: Writing and Critical Thinking (5)

Aim: To help students practice their writing and critical thinking skills by composing a persuasive
essay on a relevant topic.

Procedure:

● Ask students to brainstorm some ideas and arguments for and against the topic, and
write them on the board.
● Ask students to choose a position (agree or disagree with the topic), and write a
persuasive essay, following the structure and guidelines from the textbook. They should
include the following elements in their essay:
○ An introduction that states their position and previews their main arguments
○ A body that develops their arguments and supports them with evidence and
examples
○ A conclusion that restates their position and summarizes their main arguments
○ A reference list that cites the sources of their evidence and examples
● Ask students to exchange their essays with a partner or a group, and give feedback on
each other’s essays, using a rubric or a checklist. They should focus on the following
aspects:
○ The clarity and coherence of the position and the arguments
○ The relevance and validity of the evidence and examples
○ The organization and structure of the essay
○ The language and style of the essay
● Ask students to revise their essays based on the feedback, and submit their final drafts
to the teacher for assessment.
Activity 5: Analyzing British Family Values (6)

Aim: To develop students’ critical thinking skills by analyzing British family values, comparing
them with Vietnamese family values, and discussing the implications of these differences.

Procedure:

● Divide the class into small groups. Each group will discuss the British family values
presented in the text, and compare them with their own understanding of Vietnamese
family values.
● Each group will then identify one British family value that they find particularly interesting
or surprising, and discuss why this is the case.
● Next, each group will consider the following questions: How might these differences in
family values affect interactions between people from these two cultures? What
misunderstandings could potentially arise? How could such misunderstandings be
avoided or resolved?
● Each group will share their discussions with the class. Encourage other students to ask
questions and contribute their own thoughts during these presentations.
● Conclude the activity with a whole-class discussion on the importance of understanding
and respecting cultural differences.

Activity 6: Assessing Critical Thinking in Speaking (7)

Aim: to assess students' critical thinking skills in discussing and presenting their ideas about
sustainable living practices.

Procedure:

● Divide the class into two groups: Team A (advocates for specific green living
practices) and Team B (opposes or suggests alternatives).
● Assign specific green living topics to each team, such as renewable energy,
waste reduction, transportation, or sustainable consumer choices.
● Give students time to research and gather information about their assigned
topics. Encourage them to explore various sources, consider different viewpoints,
and critically analyze the information.
● Each team will have a designated time for presentation preparation and
rehearsal. This includes organizing their arguments, refining their delivery, and
ensuring that their presentation meets the time limit.
● Use a feedback guide (8) to assess your partner's speaking ability by sticking in
the box that corresponds to the point's partner.

III. Conclusion

In conclusion, these six activities are designed to integrate critical thinking into the
teaching of language skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing),culture and assessing CT
in speaking using the Tiếng Anh 10 - Global Success textbook. By incorporating diverse
activities, we aim to cultivate students' abilities to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information
while fostering intercultural awareness. The activities encourage collaborative learning,
stimulate thoughtful discussions, and provide opportunities for students to apply critical thinking
skills across various contexts. The integration of the textbook content ensures alignment with
the national curriculum and enhances students' language proficiency alongside their critical
thinking abilities.

IV. Appendices

(1) The text in task 2 from Unit 4, reading, page 45

(2) The topic “Career choices” from Unit 6, speaking, page 70
(3) The topic “RoboVacuum” from Unit 5, listening, page 57
(4) https://img.loigiaihay.com/picture/2022/0806/038.mp3
(5) The topic “The benefits of blended learning” from Unit 9, writing, page 92
(6) The text “British Family Values” in Unit 1, Culture, page 16
(7) The topic “Living green” from Unit 2, page 23
(8) Feedback guide

YES NO

Does he/she introduce the topic of living green?

Does he/she present at least three reasons why

he/she should or shouldn’t do to live green?

Does he/she have mistakes about grammar and

vocabulary?

Does he/she maintain good eye contact and body

language with a partner?

Does he/she use suggested phrases in speaking?

Does he/she have a fluent presentation?

Does he/she have good ideas or new ones?

Does he/she have enough parts?
 COURSE: CRITICAL THINKING IN LANGUAGE TEACHING

ACADEMIC YEAR: 2023-2024

ASSIGNMENT MARKING

NUMBER CONTENTS MARKING GIVEN

CRITERIA MARKS
1 Introduction Clear description /0.5

2 The aims and procedures of The aims and procedures /6.0

the activities with integrated are described clearly and
critical thinking illustrated with
(6 activities from a unit in an examples/images/steps
English textbook for high etc.
school students in Vietnam)
3 Writing Language use is correct /2.0
and coherent.

4 Presentation The assigment is /1.0

presented neatly with the
given cover page and this
marking scheme.
5 Appendices The unit from the chosen /0.5
English textbook and
other related materials
are attached to the
assignment.
Total /10