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Iranian EFL In-Service Teachers’ Conceptions About Critical Thinking and Its Role in Foreign Language Teaching

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 PhD Candidate in ELT, Bonab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran, Email

3 Assistant Professor, English Language Department, Bonab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran

Abstract

Adopting a qualitative design, the present study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ attitudes toward critical thinking as well as its role in language teaching. To meet these objectives, 36 EFL teachers were selected through purposeful sampling as the participants of the study. For the purpose of the data collection, in-depth interviews, focus group interviews, and teachers’ narratives were utilized. To assure the trustworthiness of the data, several measures have been taken. The lead author conducted the in-depth as well as focus group interviews and elicited teachers’ narratives. The interviews were conducted in Persian language and the whole procedures were audiotaped. The data were transcribed verbatim and after member checking the data with the participants, they were translated into English. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). To assure inter coder reliability, coding the data was done by the second and third authors independently. The third and fourth authors were involved in finding the potential themes and sub-themes. Finally, five themes of efficiency, intelligence, change, success and initiation were generated as a result of the data analysis. The present study revealed that the participants emphasized some fundamental building blocks of critical thinking. The participant teachers also advocated critical thinking - focused programs in teacher education as well as its application in language teaching. The study has a number of implications for language pedagogy, teacher education and policy makers.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [Persian]

نگرش معلمان ایرانی زبان اانگلیسی درباره تفکر انتقادی و نقش آن در آموزش زبان خارجی

Authors [Persian]

  • جلیل یزدانخواه 1
  • دکتر بهرام بهین 2
  • دکتر محمد حسین یوسفی 3
  • دکتر حسن اسدالله فام 3

1 دانشجوی دکتری آموزش زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد بناب، بناب، ایران

2 دانشیار گروه زبان و ادبیات انگلیسی، دانشکده ادبیات و علوم انسانی، دانشگاه شهید مدنی آذربایجان، تبریز، ایران

3 استادیار گروه زبان انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد بناب، بناب، ایران

Abstract [Persian]

در تحقیق کیفی حاضر، برداشت معلمان ایرانی زبان انگلیسی در خصوص تفکر انتقادی و نقش آن در آموزش زبان خارجی مورد مطالعه و بررسی قرار گرفت.۳۶ نفر از معلمان زبان انگلیسی بواسطه نمونه آماری هدفمند بعنوان شرکت کنندگان در تحقیق انتخاب شدند. با هدف جمع آوری داده ها، سه نوع  ابزار متفاوت؛ مصاحبه های دقیق ژرفکاوانه، مصاحبه های متمرکز روایت معلمان بکار گرفته شدند. جهت حصول اطمینان از صحت ارتباط بین این سه منبع جمع آوری داده ها، چندین مقیاس در نظر گرفته شد. نگارنده اول مصاحبه ها انجام داده و روایات معلمان را استخراج کردند. کلیه مصاحبه ها به زبان فارسی انجام گرفت و کل فرایند ضبط صوتی گردید. همه داده ها کلمه به کلمه پس از بررسی نفر به نفر با شرکت کنندگان به انگلیسی ترجمه شدند. برای تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها از مدل ثماتیک آنالیز (براون وکلارک ۲۰۰۶ ) استفاده گردید. جهت حصول اطمینان از اعتبار بین کد بندیها ، رمزگذاری داده ها توسط مولفین دوم و سوم هر کدام بطور مستقل انجام گردید. مولفین سوم و چهارم در یافتن موضوعات و زیر گروههای باالقوه آنها انجام وظیفه کردند. سرانجام پنج مولفه موضوعی تحت عناوین: شایستگی، ذکاوت، تغییر، توفیق وابتکار در جریان تجزیه و تحلیل داده ها حاصل شدند. این تحقیق می تواند در مسائل آموزش زبان، تربیت معلم ودر عرصه خط و مشی گذاری مورد استفاده قرار گیرد.

Keywords [Persian]

  • تفکر انتقادی
  • معلمان آموزش وپرورش
  • تربیت معلم
  • آموزش زبان
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Journal of Applied Linguistics and Applied Literature: Dynamics and Advances
Volume 9, Issue 2 - Serial Number 18
October 2021
Pages 59-78
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History
  • Receive Date: 25 April 2021
  • Revise Date: 08 July 2021
  • Accept Date: 23 October 2021
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