scholarly journals SUGGESTIONS FOR GLOBAL ISSUES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION MATERIALS AND ACTIVITIES

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Gregory Goodmacher ◽  
Asako Kajiura
Keyword(s):  
International Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Global Citizenship ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Grammatical Knowledge ◽  
Global Issues

Universities and other centers of learning are joining with the United Nations and other international institutions to further the study of significant issues that are affecting the lives of people across the globe. Ministries of education in various countries want to have their students develop an understanding of the concept of global citizenship and the connections between the peoples of our increasingly intertwined world. In line with this, many educational institutions are including global issues education in their curricula. The English language is the predominant language of international business, globalization, medicine, international education, and politics. Billions of people are studying and using English daily. Can language teachers play a part in promoting global citizenship and creating a peaceful and sustainable world? This paper aims to answer that question and to address vital principles involved in the creation of activities and teaching materials that merge global issues content and language education. It will also provide examples of how teachers can combine content education and critical thinking skills in ways that develop grammatical knowledge and the traditional skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

scholarly journals Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions on the Impacts of Service-Learning in a Language Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (S3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giang Thi Thu Bui ◽  
Hanh Thi Minh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Native Community

Service-learning, also known as community-based learning, is considered a pedagogical tool in various disciplines at different levels, including tertiary education. It has proved its significant effects on social and academic aspects. Different institutions have incorporated service-learning in their language curricula in language education to create better exposure to the target language for learners. However, the research on the application of service-learning components in language learning has still been limited in Asia-Pacific countries, especially in Vietnam, where learners have fewer chances of serving a native community by using a target language like English. This paper reports on teachers’ and students’ perspectives on the impacts of a service-learning project incorporated in an English speaking course at a public university in Vietnam. The study used questionnaires for 117 second-year English-majored students, three focus-group discussions with 16 surveyed students, and semi-structured individual interviews with four subject teachers. The results reflect students’ positive feedback on language competence, social awareness, personal traits and soft skills. The interviews with teachers reveal the progressive changes in students’ presentation skills, self-confidence, and critical thinking skills. However, the main difficulties hindering the implementation of the project are the insufficient understanding of project procedures, the passive way of thinking, lack of financial support, and the limited exposure to English in authentic environments. This paper also brings about some practical implications for language teachers and researchers in similar educational contexts.

scholarly journals Identity-oriented English Language Teachers’ Education Programs as the Arena of Becoming a Glocal English Language Teacher

Pedagogika ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 71-84
Author(s):  
Hussein Meihami
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
English Language Teachers

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the potentials of identity-oriented English language teachers’ education programs in developing the glocal identity of English language teachers through examining the perspectives of the EFL teacher educators. Given that, the main features of glocal identity teacher education program were obtained by examining their perspectives. These features are addressing reflective pedagogy, bridging the gap between theory and practice, involving English language teachers in action research, and developing English language teachers’ critical thinking skills in teacher’s education programs.

scholarly journals Using Video Presentations in ESP Classes (A Study Conducted at the Language Centre-Skopje, SEEU)

SEEU Review ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 178-195
Author(s):  
Neda Radosavlevikj ◽  
Hajrulla Hajrullai
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Learning Competencies ◽  
Free Environment ◽  
Video Presentations ◽  
Video Material

Abstract In order to motivate students and create a tension free environment English language teachers implement different technological tools in the classroom. This paper aims to emphasize the importance of using video material in the classroom that facilitates ESL teaching. The study was conducted at SEEU Language Centre with 87 students’. Major ethnical groups include Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, and Roma. The respondents’ age varies from 18-20 studying ESP classes, such as Computer Sciences 1, ESP (Public administration 1) as well as Academic and Advanced Academic English, and the research questions are: to what extent students are motivated to study English using videos, do Video presentations stimulate students’ critical thinking skills. Moreover, 8 teachers responded to the questionnaire and strongly agreed that Videos motivate students’ discussions in class. Teaching ESP courses using audio-visual tools is especially beneficial for both students and teachers because the appropriate video material can make students more interested in the subject, more engaged as well as become more confident in communicative language learning competencies.

Promoting Critical Thinking Skills in Language Education through Online Discussions

2012 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Ugur Demiray ◽  
Murat Hismanoglu ◽  
Sibel Hismanoglu
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Online Discussion ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Online Discussions ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Teaching Tools

Online discussion has become one of the most effective teaching tools in recent years in terms of its power to promote students’ critical thinking skills in educational contexts. This chapter aims at presenting an overview of recently conducted research studies on critical thinking and online discussions, explaining online discussion as a pedagogical vehicle for maximizing language learning and teaching, identifying problems related to online discussions, as well as some suggested solutions, describing application activities that promote critical thinking skills, illustrating how language teachers and learners can use meta-communication in creating successful online discussions, and stressing the importance of the teacher’s role in designing an effective online discussion environment for students.

scholarly journals Students’ critical thinking ability in analyzing descriptive paragraph

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 462
Author(s):  
Patahuddin Patahuddin ◽  
Syawal Syawal ◽  
Amri Amri
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Study Program ◽  
Critical Thinking Ability ◽  
Interview Guide ◽  
Thinking Ability ◽  
The University

Learning that is oriented to the development of critical thinking skills is one of the main priorities of an educator in their learning activities. This study aims to analyze students' critical thinking skills in analyzing a descriptive paragraph. This study uses a descriptive method with a quantitative approach. This research will be carried out during the odd semester of the academic year 2021/2022. The subjects of this study were all 1st-semester students in the English language education study program FKIP UMPAR which consisted of 18 students. The research instruments are observation and interview which involves the descriptive paragraphs observation and the interview guide sheet. Data analysis using descriptive statistical analysis. Referring to the data gained in the study, the researcher found that the critical thinking ability of students to analyze a descriptive paragraph was still very low. It was discovered that students' critical thinking skills in analyzing descriptive paragraphs were in a low category, students achieving a score below the minimum graduation standard set by the university. The data is also reinforced by the results of interviews which show that students are not accustomed to doing English paragraph analysis.

scholarly journals Fostering Learner’s Critical Thinking Skills in EFL: Some Practical Activities

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (29) ◽  
pp. 126
Author(s):  
Marsela Harizaj ◽  
Veneranda Hajrulla
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Learning And Teaching

Developing student’s critical skills is one of the major concerns of foreign language teachers. Professional teachers and novice ones try to find ways to motivate their students. Developing communicative competence requires students to develop learning strategies and focus on language function and context. In every course assignments, learners understand and realize better that communication is not an easy thing. Developing accuracy and fluency in foreign language classes enhance students critical thinking too. However, What is critical thinking? What is the perception of learners about it? What communicative activities can foreign language teachers use in the classroom to enhance student’s critical thinking? These are some research questions that this paper brings in focus, from theory to practice. The study is based on observations in EFL classes. From observations, it was found that developing critical thinking skills help learners to enhance their communication, enlarge their vocabulary, and help them to learn how to use language for different purposes in a variety of contexts. Foreign language teachers can help learners develop critical thinking skills. In this paper, some suggestions for foreign language teachers to use practical activities to foster critical thinking will be presented. Thus, in English language learning and teaching contexts, critical thinking becomes more dynamic.

Methods Of Teaching English Literature For Students Of Graduation In Andhra Pradesh

Think India ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 455-457
Author(s):  
Y.L MARREDDY
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teaching Literature ◽  
Universal Language ◽  
Level Of Understanding

Y.L MARREDDY English is recognized as a universal language. Learning English is inevitable in this present global scenario. It also acts like a link language. Especially, English literature enables learners to develop critical thinking skills, helps to discover and enlighten themselves. It is quite challenging task to teachers to teach literature for studentsin non native English countries like India. The role of the language teachers becomes predominant and the methods of teaching literature according to the students’ level of understanding also play a significant role because studying literature assists students’ tohave real time experiences, passion for language acquisition and think innovatively. In this context, it is necessary for teachers to distinct between teaching literature for special purposes or it is used as a resource language for teaching this foreign language. This paper throws light on the importance of teaching literature, several approaches and methods of teaching literature at graduate level. Literature connects the cultures across the world, throws challenges to solve and even to heal some cultures. It really provides an individual space for learners to express themselves and improve competence levels among them. It allows learners to share their participation in the experience of others, strengthens to shape, alter their attitude and meet their expectations.

scholarly journals Interculturality in English Language Teaching – A Small Study with Portuguese Teachers

e-TEALS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-125
Author(s):  
Ana Ponce de Leão
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

Abstract UNESCO and many other organisations worldwide have been working on approaches in education to develop tolerance, respect for cultural diversity, and intercultural dialogue. Particularly, the Council of Europe has laid out guiding principles in several documents to promote intercultural competence, following Byram’s and Zarate’s efforts in integrating this important component in language education. The commitment to developing the notion of intercultural competence has been so influential that many countries, e.g., Portugal, have established the intercultural domain as a goal in the foreign language curricula. However, this commitment has been questioned by researchers worldwide who consider that action is needed to effectively promote intercultural competence. The research coordinated by Sercu, for example, suggests that, although foreign language teachers are willing to comply with an intercultural dimension, their profile is more compatible with that of a traditional foreign language teacher, rather than with a foreign language teacher, who promotes intercultural communicative competence. In this study, I propose to examine teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about intercultural communicative competence in a cluster of schools in Portugal and compare these findings with Sercu’s study. Despite a twelve-year gap, the present study draws similar conclusions.

scholarly journals Metacognitive Awareness and Critical Thinking Abilities of Pre-service EFL Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Dilek Cakici
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Efl Teachers

The primary aim of current study was to investigate the possible relationship between Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and Critical Thinking Skills (CTS) in a foreign language learning context. In addition, this research aimed to probe the effect of gender and years of pre-service English language teachers on the relation between metacognitive awareness and critical thinking abilities. 218 pre-service EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers participated in the study. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Critical Thinking Questionnaire were employed to gather necessary data. Obtained results confirmed that there existed a highly significant positive correlation between MA and CTS. Besides, the results indicated that there was a strong relation between the years of pre-service EFL teachers and their MA and CTS. Seniors were found to be more metacognitively aware and critical thinkers than their counterparts. Conversely, it was revealed that there was no gender effect on both MA and CTS. Finally, certain suggestions were set for tertiary institutions to develop metacognition and critical thinking skills in foreign language classroom settings.

Fostering Critical Thinking Using Instructional Strategies in English Classes

2019 ◽  
pp. 299-316
Author(s):  
Şenol Orakcı ◽  
Mehmet Durnali ◽  
Osman Aktan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Critical Literacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
English Classes

The aim of the chapter is to provide both theoretical and practical ideas about critical thinking development within English language teaching contexts. Encouraging language learners to be critical thinkers is important in teaching English as a foreign language. However, achieving the goal remains a challenge. Using various strategies together seem to be effective when properly implemented. Therefore this chapter outlines these strategies which include communicative language tasks, using authentic meaningful texts, using critical literacy, being aware of whole-brain learning, adopting a reflective teaching, enabling students to become autonomous, using explicit instruction, teacher questioning, using active and cooperative learning strategies, using literature in English classes, using creative drama, and adopting self-assessment. Teachers can enable learners to have critical thinking skills and more efficient English lessons by combining these strategies in a new way or by designing critical thinking activities in the classroom.

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