Teaching Critical Thinking to English-Majored Students through the Pathways Coursebooks (2nd edition) at UFLS-UD: Challenges and Solutions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54855/paic.23415

Keywords:

Critical thinking, Pathways coursebooks, language skills, English-majored students.

Abstract

Critical thinking (CT), a 21st-century skill, not only plays a crucial role in students’ academic success but is also a fundamental capacity increasingly sought upon in the competitive global job market. However, there has been limited research in Vietnam on how to foster CT through English language teaching in higher education. This study fills this gap by investigating the challenges of teaching CT through the teaching of four English practical skills at the University of Foreign Language Studies - the University of Da Nang (UFLS-UD) via the Pathways Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking (2nd edition), which is a global, innovative academic English coursebook series carefully designed to develop integrated English language skills and CT. Coursebooks have been used in the curriculum at the Faculty of English and the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education since 2021. However, how to effectively explore coursebooks’ resources to develop students’ critical thinking skills has not been investigated. With the employment of research methods, namely, survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, our study is an attempt to identify the abovementioned challenges, thereby suggesting solutions to enhance the quality of teaching CT combined with language skills for English-majored students.

Author Biographies

Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, The University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Danang

Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa is an Assoc. Prof., Ph.D. in Linguistics, M.A. in the English language. Her main areas of interest are English, linguistics, translation, discourse analysis, EMI, language and culture. She was the first Dean of the Faculty of International Studies, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Danang (UFLS-UD) from 2006 to 2014. Now she is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of English, UFLS-UD, and Vice-Dean in charge of academic affairs.

Nguyen Doan Thao Chi, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Danang

Nguyen Doan Thao Chi is a lecturer of the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Danang (UFLS-UD). She has been teaching at UFLS-UD for 12 years. She received her Master’s Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of Huddersfield, England. Her research interests include English language teaching, testing and assessment, translation, and teacher education.

Nguyen Thi Huynh Loc, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Danang

Nguyen Thi Huynh Loc is a lecturer at the Faculty of English. She got her Ph.D. from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her research interests include language testing and assessment, project-based learning, and global citizenship skills.

References

Al-Kindi, N. S. & Al-Mekhlafi, A. M. (2017). The Practice and Challenges of Implementing Critical Thinking Skills in Omani Post-basic EFL Classrooms. Canadian Center of Science and Education, 10(12), 116-133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n12p116

Brookfield, S. D. (2012). Teaching for Critical Thinking: Tools and Techniques to Help Students Question Their Assumptions. Jossey-Bass.

D’Alessio, F. A., Avolio, B. E., & Charles, V. (2019). Studying the impact of critical thinking on the academic performance of executive MBA students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 31, 275–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.02.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.02.002

Ennis, R. H. (2011). The Nature of Critical Thinking: An Outline of Critical Thinking Dispositions and Abilities. Journal of Research in Education, 21(2), 1-23.

Ennis, R. H. (2018). Critical thinking across the curriculum: A vision. Topoi, 37(1), 165–184 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-016-9401-4

Facione, P. A. (2011). Critical thinking: what it is and why it counts. Insight Asses. 2007, 1–23.

Halpern, D. F. (2014). Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking. Psychology Press.

Le, P.H.H, Nguyen, T.T.B. & Vo, T.L.H. (2020). Critical Thinking in English Language Teaching. Hue University Publishing House.

Li, L. (2016). Integrating thinking skills in foreign language learning: what can we learn from teachers' perspectives? Thinking Skills and Creativity, 22, 273–288. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2016.09.008

Masadeh, T. (2021). EFL teachers critical thinking behaviors and the challenges facing them in classrooms. Journal of English Language Teaching, 10(2), 185-203.

Marin, M. A., and Pava, L. (2017). Conceptions of critical thinking from university EFL teachers. Engl. Lang. Teach. 10, 78–88. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n7p78 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v10n7p78

McPeck, J. E. (2016). Critical thinking and education. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315463698

Nguyen, T. T. H. (2024). Translation in Language Teaching - The Need for Redefinition of Translation. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 15(1), 19–33. https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.241512 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.241512

Oliveri, M. E., & Markle, R. (2017). Continuing a culture of evidence: Expanding skills in higher education. Princeton. NJ: Educational Testing Service. https://doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ets2.12137

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). Critical thinking: The nature of critical and creative thought. Journal of Developmental Education, 30(2), 34-35.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2014). The miniature guide to critical thinking - concepts & tools (7th ed.). Dillon Beach, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Vo, T. K. A. (2023). E-exams in Vietnam’s Higher Education: Students’ Computer Efficacy and Attitudes. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 14(2), 62–79. https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.231425 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.231425

Utriainen, J., Marttunen, M., Kallio, E., & Tynjälä, P. (2016). University applicants’ critical thinking skills: The case of the Finnish educational sciences. Scandinavian. Journal of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1173092. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2016.1173092

Willingham, D. T. (2007). Critical thinking: Why is it so hard to teach? Arts Education Policy Review, 108(4), 21-32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3200/AEPR.109.4.21-32

Downloads

Published

2024-05-28

How to Cite

Nguyen, T. Q. H., Nguyen, D. T. C., & Nguyen, T. H. L. (2024). Teaching Critical Thinking to English-Majored Students through the Pathways Coursebooks (2nd edition) at UFLS-UD: Challenges and Solutions. Proceedings of the AsiaCALL International Conference, 4, 209–219. https://doi.org/10.54855/paic.23415

Issue

Vol. 4 (2023): Proceedings of the 20th AsiaCALL International Conference (AsiaCALL2023)

Section

Research Article

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, Nguyen Doan Thao Chi, Nguyen Thi Huynh Loc

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The copyright of all articles published in the Proceedings of the AsiaCALL International Conference (paic) remains with the Authors, i.e. Authors retain full ownership of their article. Permitted third-party reuse of the open access articles is defined by the applicable Creative Commons (CC) end-user license which is accepted by the Authors upon submission of their paper. All articles in the aicp are published under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, meaning that end users can freely share an article (i.e. copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt it (i.e. remix, transform and build upon the material) on the condition that proper attribution is given (i.e. appropriate credit, a link to the applicable license and an indication if any changes were made; all in such a way that does not suggest that the licensor endorses the user or the use) and the material is only used for non-commercial purposes. 

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.