Muthana M. B. Dealing with Teaching Language via Appropriate Critical Thinking

Abstract

Developing critical thinking skills and critical thinking disposing in college students has been set as fundamental goal in higher education.  Recently it has become more prompt in applying this goal to improve students' employability in the fast- changing work place. This study achieved the competency of developing critical thinking through reading. Critical thinking includes the component skills of analyzing arguments, making inferences using inductive or deductive reasoning, judging or evaluating, and making decisions or solving problems. Background knowledge is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for enabling critical thought within a given subject.                                                         Critical thinking involves both cognitive skills and dispositions. These dispositions, which can be seen as attitudes or habits of mind, include open and fair-mindedness, motivation, creativity, flexibility, a tendency to seek reason, a desire to be well- informed, and a respect for and willingness to entertain diverse viewpoints. Instructors are urged to provide explicit instruction in critical thinking, to teach how to transfer to new contexts, and to use cooperative or collaborative learning methods and constructivist approaches that place students at the center of the learning process. Goals or reasons differ according to personal needs and it is clear that one should learn further to do so. However, the grammar rules and vocabulary knowledge are not enough to master the language and reach such goals. This is due to the fact that successful language learning requires cognitive processes like other types of learning. In other words, thinking, reasoning and critical thinking are major parts of making sense of the new information which help students learn effectively.