Cultivating Critical Thinking through Integrating Literature Circles into EFL Freshman English Classes

• Main Authors: Lai, Chu Fui, 賴慈慧
• Other Authors: Chiang, Min-Hsun
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/03374572793962515229

碩士 === 東海大學 === 外國語文學系 === 99 === Many educators believe that skillful thinking is one of the most important goals of education (Bell, 2003; Davidson, 1996; Day, 2003; Facione, Giancarlo, Facione, & Gainen, 1995; Long, 2000; Tillman, 1994). Contemporary societies often require people in various professions to possess not only remarkable knowledge, but also strong thinking skills, also referred to as critical thinking or higher order thinking skills. This study investigated the effects of integrating literature circles into freshman English classes on cultivating critical thinking skills among adult Taiwanese EFL learners. In addition, this study examined, from the participants’ perspective, the influence taking part in Literature Circle (LC) had on shaping EFL learners’ thinking processes. A mixed-method approach was adopted with 57 Taiwanese freshmen studying English as a foreign language. Data was collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods, including pre- and post-course self-assessments of critical thinking, an open-ended questionnaire, and a critical thinking assessment checklist. Two groups of learners, computer-mediated and in-class face-to-face literature circle discussions, were compared in terms of the questions they raised during the literature circle discussions. These questions were analyzed as an indication of the development of the participants’ critical thinking skills by using the critical thinking assessment checklist. Further, the open-ended questionnaire of this study provided insights on the adult second language learning and shed light on the effects of integrating literature circles on peer interaction during the reading process. The results of the study showed that participants’ reading strategies and behaviors in both the in-class face-to-face and computer-mediated groups were positively affected after a year of participating in literature circles. Furthermore, the results of the Self Assessment of Critical Thinking survey indicated that no significant difference was found between the critical thinking of the participants in the two groups. In other words, improvement was found in both groups as measured by a rise in levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. As for the results from the qualitative data, growth was found in participants’ critical thinking skills in both groups. Furthermore, the results of the open-ended questionnaire indicated that a majority of the participants in this study favored literature circles and claimed that literature circles enhanced their language skills such as reading and speaking. More importantly, many participants pointed out that literature circles increased their awareness of critical thinking.