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Critical Thinking in ELT:The 21st Century Competency
Now available from Empreser ELT and Compass Publishing!
What color is this dress?
#TheDress Debate
• What is Critical Thinking
• Essential Learning Outcomes of Critical Thinking
• Why Critical Thinking is Essential in the 21st Century
– Activity 1: Fallacy
• Benefits of Critical Thinking
• Critical Thinking in the Classroom
– Activity 2: Critical Thinking Skill
– Activity 3: Critical Thinking Skill
– Activity 4: Verbalize the Process
– Activity 5: Tap-in Debate
• Barriers of Critical Thinking
• Elements of Critical Thinking: Identifying a Sound Argument
– Activity 6: Keep it Real
What We Will Cover Today?
“Effectively evaluating our own thinking and the thinking of others…[its] most fundamental concern is excellence of thought.”
-The Critical Thinking Foundation
What Is Critical Thinking?
“Critical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, or problem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures of thinking and building up their intellectual standards.”
-Dr. Richard Paul
What Is Critical Thinking?
“Critical thinking is skillful, responsible thinking that facilitates good judgment because it (1) relies upon criteria, (2) is self-correcting, and (3) is sensitive to context”.
-Matthew Lipman
What Is Critical Thinking?
Essential Learning Outcomes Of Critical Thinking① What is the truth?
② Who do you trust? Why?
③ From where do you obtain the information that forms your worldview? Why?
④ Can you discern the truth from the lie, the real from the false? How do you discern?
⑤ Can you recognize “what really is” from what you believe “ought to be?”
⑥ Can you formulate conclusions and judgments based on the ability to access, evaluate and determine the relevancy and reliability of facts and evidence.
⑦ Which barriers are most prevalent in your critical thinking process? Which ones do you experience most prevalent in others.
Why Critical Thinking IsEssential In the 21st Century
Why Critical Thinking IsEssential In the 21st Century
Would you agree that the world has drastically changed in the past few decades?
The largest change has been in areas of information andmedia. The flow and volume of media that now exists in theworld is remarkable; more remarkable is the ease in whichwe can access this information.
The average teenager is spending 16.5 hours a day connected to some form of media.
Learning Outcome① Understand what a fallacy is
② Identify one particular fallacy
Supplies Needed③ Advertisement, editorial, argument
Activity 1:Fallacy
A fallacy is a defect in an argument that causes an argument to be invalid, unsound or weak.
Activity 1:Fallacy
Questions① Are the advertisers trying to make you believe or do
something? If so, what is it?
② How are the advertisers trying to make you do something?
③ Is this an honest way to sell this product?
Activity 1:Fallacy
Appeal To EmotionManipulating an emotional response in place of a valid or compelling argument
Appeals to emotion include appeals to fear, envy, hatred, pity, guilt, and more.
Though a valid, and reasoned, argument may sometimes have an emotional aspect one must be careful that emotion does not obscure reason.
www.yourlogicalfallacyis.com
Activity 1:Fallacy
① Academic Performance
• Language Classrooms
② Workplace
③ Daily Life
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Benefits of Critical Thinking
① Competencies for Academic Performance
Understand the arguments and beliefs of others
• Gather and assess relevant information
• Consciously raise questions
• Be aware of one’s own reasoning
• Probe for assumptions
Critically evaluate arguments/beliefs• Be aware of gaps in information
• Distinguish between observation and inference
• Distinguish between fact and conjecture
① Competencies for Academic Performance
Develop and defend one’s own well-supported arguments and/or beliefs
• Form well-reasoned conclusions & solutions
• Test one’s own line of reasoning
Benefits of Critical Thinking
① Competencies for Academic Performance
Language Classrooms (The 5 Cs)• Comprehension of new language (input)
• Communication (productive skills)
• Creative thinking (problem solving)
• Curiosity (motivation)
• Confidence (self-esteem)
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Help us to reflect and get a deeper understanding of our own and others’ decisions
Aid in becoming more analytical in solving problemsEffectively share and respond to solutionsPerform hypothetical-deductive reasoning
Encourage open-mindedness
Communicate effectively
with others
② Competencies for the Workplace
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Helps us to reflect and get a deeper understanding of our own and others’ decisions
③ Competencies for Daily Life
Helps us to avoid making foolish personal decisions
Promotes an informed and concerned citizenry capable of making good decisions on important social, political and economic issues
Aids in the development of autonomous thinkers capable of examining their assumptions, dogmas, and prejudices.
Helps us recognize and assess our own perception
Benefits of Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
① Incorporate Critical Thinking Skills
② Recycle Critical Thinking Skills
③ Verbalize the Process
④ Provide Opportunities for Opinions
⑤ Provide Opportunities for Reflection
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
① Incorporate critical thinking skills
An argument is strong if the statements are true and the conclusion actually follows from them. Statements that aren’t related to the argument do not affect how strong it is.
Careful readers can distinguish points that are related to the argument from those that aren’t. This is important because sometimes writers intentionally include irrelevant points to confuse the reader, take attention away from the main topic, or make their argument seem stronger than it really is.
Activity 2:Detecting Irrelevant Points
Violent Crime (1) Violent crime is more common in areas where people have easy access to guns. (2) The United States has more guns per person than any other nation. (3) Therefore, the government should make it more difficult for people to buy guns.
Which statement is irrelevant?
Critical Thinking Skill: Detecting Irrelevant Points
Activity 2:Detecting Irrelevant Points
Most arguments contain some premises that are assumedbut not stated. Authors of arguments may leave a premiseunstated for various reasons. They may consider it soobvious that it doesn’t need to be said. They may think it iscommon knowledge or common sense. Assumptions like the following do not need to be stated.
• One hundred dollars is a lot to pay for a sandwich.• All computers need a source of power to operate.• The US has a president, not a king.
Activity 3:Revealing Unstated Premises (Assumptions)
An author may also realize that a premise is questionableor weak and choose to keep it hidden. In fact, an un-
statedpremise may be as necessary to an argument as any ofthe stated ones. Thus, it’s an important part of criticalthinking to be able to recognize these unstated premises.
• Melissa has a university degree. Thus, Melissa should be able to get a decent job.
Critical Thinking Skill: Revealing Unstated Premises
Activity 3:Revealing Unstated Premises (Assumptions)
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
② Recycle critical thinking skills
Unit 1Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6
Unit 7 Unit 8 Unit 12
Unit 1Unit 4 Unit 5 Unit 6
Unit 7 Unit 8 Unit 12
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
③ Verbalize the process
Activity 4:Verbalize the Process
Dating and Mate Selection
Most of us tend to compare ourselves to averages or toothers we know. That is how we come to define our personal level of attractiveness. Indeed, there isa reason we judge ourselves as being more or lessattractive. We often limit our dating pool to those we believeto be in the same level of beauty in which we placeourselves.
What questions can you ask your students while theyread this passage?
④ Provide opportunities for opinions
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
Activity 5:Tap-in Debate (Structured Controversy)
Learning Outcome① Fun way to discuss controversial topics
② Practice and improve listening and speaking skills
③ Organize information and develop sound arguments
④ Develop critical thinking skills to support arguments
• Synthesizing issues and conceptualizing new positions
• Seeing issues from different perspectives
• Rationalizing a position
Supplies Needed① Controversial Topic
② Chairs
Successful Structured Controversy③ Open-mindedness and willingness to listen
④ Disagreement is not a personal attack on the person
⑤ Effort to try and understand different positions
⑥ Willingness to change your mind when evidence is presented
⑦ Look for the best solution to the problem
Activity 5:Tap-in Debate (Structured Controversy)
Preparation① Choose a controversial topic and divide students into two groups: those who
agree and those who disagree
② Students prepare their argument
③ Arrange chairs, so that there are two hot seats facing each other and place chairs behind the hot seats
④ When you say “start”, the first two students sitting in the hot seats start the debate, trying to defend their group’s point of view
⑤ After a few minutes tap two students, one the hot seat and one that is not.
⑥ Once the student in the hot seat is tapped, s/he must stop the conversation. The new student takes that place.
⑦ The new student must resume the conversation exactly where the other left it, even if it is in mid-sentence. S/he must make their argument coherent and follow the previous opinions and statements.
Activity 5:Tap-in Debate (Structured Controversy)
Activity 5:Tap-in Debate (Structured Controversy)
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
⑤ Provide opportunities for reflection
Digital Critical Thinking Portfolio
Teachers can…
• Create and manage classes• Monitor student progress• Email feedback directly to students• Download audio MP3 files and other resources
Students can…
• Practice online and on mobile devices• Listen to full audio tracks of reading passages• Join classes and submit assignments
Critical Thinking in the Classroom
Barriers to Critical Thinking
Barriers to Critical Thinking
① Egocentrism“It’s true because I believe it.”
② Sociocentrism“It’s true because we believe it.”
③ Unwarranted Assumptions“It’s true because I think (assume) it is true.”
④ Wishful Thinking“It’s true because I want to believe it.”
⑤ Relativistic Thinking“It’s true because it is just a matter of opinion.”
Barriers to Critical Thinking
Barriers and fallacies prohibit us from applying critical thinking skills and determining sound arguments.
How can we identify fallacies, overcome barriers and determine if information/ arguments/ opinions etc. are sound?
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
① Clarity
② Accuracy
③ Precision
④ Relevance
⑤ Depth
⑥ Breadth
⑦ Logic
⑧ Fairness
① Clarity
• Could you further on that point?• Could you express that point in another way?• Could you give me an illustration?• Could you give me an example?
To what extent is the information/argument easilyunderstood by myself and others.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
② Accuracy
• Is that really true?• How could we check that?• How could we find out if
that is true?
I am 20 years old.
To what extent is the information/argument true or correct without distortion.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
③ Precision
• Could you give more details?
• Could you be more specific?
I am old.
To what extent is the information/argument exact andspecific to the necessary level of detail.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
④ Relevance
• How is that connected to the question/argument?• How does that affect the argument?
Effort in class should raise a student’s grade.
To what extent is the information/argument relate tothe issue at hand.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
⑤ Depth
• How does your answer address the complexities in question?
• How does the argument take into account the problem/situation?• Is that dealing with the most significant factors?
Just say no! (popular campaign against drugs)
To what extent is the information/argument engagingwith the complexities of the issue.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
⑥ Breadth
• Does the argument consider another point of view?
• Is there another way to look at this argument?• What would this look like from
a conservative standpoint?• What would this look like
from the point of view of...?
Only the teacher’s standpointOnly the student’s standpoint.
To what extent is the information/argument consideringthe issue at hand within the necessary contexts andrelationships.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
⑦ Logic
• Does this really make sense?• Does that follow from what was stated?• How does that follow?• But before is was implied this and now it is saying;
how can both be true?
Pirates do not go outside when it rains. There are no pirates outside, therefore it must be raining.
To what extent do the conclusions follow from the claims/statements being made.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
⑧ Fairness
Critical thinking demands that our thinking be fair.• Open-minded • Impartial• Free of distorting biases
and preconceptions
To what extent is the information/argument able toavoid privileging based on bias.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
① Clear, rather than unclear.
② Accurate, rather than inaccurate.
③ Precise, rather than vague.
④ Relevant, rather than irrelevant.
⑤ Complete, rather than incomplete.
⑥ Consistent, rather than inconsistent.
⑦ Logical, rather than illogical.
⑧ Fair, rather than biased.
Elements of Critical ThinkingIdentifying a Sound Argument
“Education must be transformed to make thinking, rather than knowledge, its guiding priority.””
Critical Thinking
What is one new thing you will try to both develop your critical thinking skills and those of your students?
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Essential Learning Outcomes Of Critical Thinking① What is the truth?
② Who do you trust? Why?
③ From where do you obtain the information that forms your worldview? Why?
④ Can you discern the truth from the lie, the real from the false? How do you discern?
⑤ Can you recognize “what really is” from what you believe “ought to be?”
⑥ Can you formulate conclusions and judgments based on the ability to access, evaluate and determine the relevancy and reliability of facts and evidence.
⑦ Which barriers are most prevalent in your critical thinking process? Which ones do you experience most prevalent in others.
Learning Outcome① Fun and realistic approach to utilize critical thinking skills
• Problem solving
• Determining sound arguments
• Questioning
② Practice and improve writing, listening and speaking skills
③ Organize information
Activity 6:Keep it Real
Procedure① Divide the class into smaller groups (3 or 4)
② Challenge students to identify and cooperatively solve a real problem in their school or community
③ Set a predetermined amount of time (5 minutes)
④ Each group presents their problem and solution
⑤ Other groups actively listen by assessing, inquiring, analyzing, and providing feedback
Activity 6:Keep it Real
What problem are you facing at your school or in your community?
Activity 6:Keep it Real
Learning Outcome① Understand/ identify barriers to critical thinking
② Learn how to avoid barriers through good arguments
Supplies Needed③ Advertisement, editorial, argument
Activity 7:What to Think vs. How to Think (2 parts)
Violent Crime(1) Violent crime is more common in areas where people have easy access to guns. (2) The United States has more guns per person than any other nation. (3) Therefore, the government should make it more difficult for people to buy guns.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Please write your answer.
Activity 7:What to Think vs. How to Think (part A)
Violent Crime(1) Violent crime is more common in areas where people have easy access to guns. (2) The United States has more guns per person than any other nation. (3) Therefore, the government should make it more difficult for people to buy guns.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?Review Your Answer
Did you respond using any barriers?
Is there an argument here?
Is the writer trying to convince me to believe something or do something?
Is it a good argument?
How can I know whether to believe this or not?
Activity 7:What to Think vs. How to Think (part B)
Cigarette AdvertisingCigarette advertising is intended to promote smoking. Studies show that smoking is harmful to health. It’s the government’s job to protect the health of citizens. So, the government should ban cigarette advertising.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Is there an argument here?• Is the writer trying to convince me to believe
something or do something?
Is it a good argument?• How can I know whether to believe this or
not?
Activity 8:Fallacy and Argument
Activity 8:Fallacy and Argument
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