Introduction
Critical thinking is the capacity to think clearly and logically without allowing emotions or personal prejudices to cloud one’s judgment. It involves thinking about things systematically and logically to conclude (Liang et al., 2021). Critical thinking is essential because it allows people to evaluate ideas and information rationally and make decisions based on reason rather than emotions or personal preferences. It is a valuable skill in many settings, including school, work, and everyday life. There are a few different ways to develop critical thinking skills. One way is to practice “thinking out loud,” which means verbalizing the thought processes as they work through a problem or task. This approach can help identify any areas that are getting stuck and spot any errors in thinking.
Another way to develop critical thinking skills is to engage in thoughtful debates with others. Debating allows one to see both sides of an issue and to practice on points respectfully and effectively. Finally, another way to develop critical thinking skills is to read critically by reading with a purpose and looking for the author’s bias, presented evidence, and the overall argument (Liang et al., 2021). When reading critically, someone can actively engage and think about the text more profoundly. Critical thinking is a valuable skill that can be learned and practiced by thinking aloud, engaging in debates, and reading critically.
A lack of critical thinking might leave pupils open to irrational beliefs and confused thinking. It is critical thinking that helps pupils separate the grain from the chaff. Discarding questionable facts in favor of the strongest, most reputable sources is an important skill for students to master. Good explanations for views are fundamental to critical thinking. It allows students to avoid being manipulated or trapped by their sentiments by navigating through their biases and those of others.
Strategy: Academic Vocabulary and Language
The word ladder strategy is a game that can help students learn to think critically and use academic vocabulary and language. The game is played by starting with a word at the bottom of the ladder and then taking turns making a new word by changing one letter at a time. The new word must be accurate, and it must be different from the previous work. The goal is to get to the top of the ladder. Students who are proficient in academic language and vocabulary are better able to absorb books in a variety of subject domains as well as follow oral instructions and classroom teaching discourse. Basic vocabulary, less common vocabulary, and “domain specialized” vocabulary are the three categories into which vocabulary is often divided (Witte, 2012). This strategy is particularly useful in teaching second language learners although it is crucial for all students.
Activity Name
Word Ladder.
Activity Description
- The teacher should instruct students to work in pairs to create a word ladder.
- Starting with a word at the bottom of the ladder, they should take turns in making a new word by changing one letter at a time. The new word must be accurate, and it must be different from the previous work. The goal is to get to the top of the ladder.
- The teacher assesses student understanding by explaining the game’s rules to the teacher or by having them write out the words they used on the ladder
Explanations of How the Strategy will Help Students Learn Critically Thinking
The strategy will help all students think critically by teaching them how to use academic vocabulary and language and allow them to understand the lesson’s content better and express their thoughts and ideas more clearly. This activity will additionally help students develop their critical thinking skills by forcing them to think of new words that are different from the previous work but still follow the game’s rules. It will also help students develop their problem-solving skills by requiring them to find new words that fit the criteria. Moreover finally, it helps students to develop their language skills by expanding their vocabulary and giving them practice in using new words.
Background Information of the Instructional Strategy
Language needs are intimately intertwined with educational tasks that teachers may inadvertently ignore. Providing the students with opportunities to use academic vocabulary and language is essential. This activity will allow them to understand the content of the lesson better and to be able to express their thoughts and ideas more clearly (Ebadi et al., 2018). In addition, providing students with this instruction will help them be better prepared to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving activities. Language requirements of a learning activity comprise any of the receptive (as in, reading, listening) or productive (as in, writing, speaking) language abilities required by the student to participate in and finish the work effectively (Witte, 2012). It is important to think about what students must do to participate in the task when determining the language needs of a class or evaluation. For example, following instructions, reading literature, answering a question loudly, creating a presentation, summarizing what was read or heard, researching a subject of interest, and conversing in small groups with classmates.
Materials Needed in the Classroom
Using resources is one of the most effective methods for enhancing pupils’ vocabulary skills. The genuine materials support and promote the students’ acquisition of foreign languages in a manner grounded in reality, where the instructor introduces actual objects into the classroom (Liang et al., 2021). Consequently, the kids will develop a strong desire to study English. For instance, using multimedia as a teaching medium provides an alternative experience for vocabulary acquisition. Multimedia, such as PowerPoint, enhances the lesson and has a good impact on the students’ ability to acquire vocabulary more quickly and keep it in their memory for longer, absorb the subject properly, and get a deeper comprehension of the language (Liang et al., 2021). A list of terms that can be utilized to enhance vocabulary learning in a classroom is forming the word ladder, paper, and pencils for each student, a whiteboard or blackboard, and a timer.
Strategy: Adapting to Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences
In a classroom, different students pick up knowledge in various ways. Some students learn best visually and require visuals to retain information. Some other students, known as auditory learners, require hearing material to learn. Additionally, some children are still kinesthetic and require physical interaction with the material to absorb it. A teacher aware of these various learning preferences might modify their instructional strategies better to meet all their students’ needs. For example, a teacher might use a mix of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic teaching methods when introducing a new concept. This process will ensure that all students have a chance to learn the material in a way that works best for them.
Activity Name
Multiple Intelligences.
Activity Description
- The teacher will start by explaining that there are different learning styles/multiple intelligences.
- The teacher will give each student a paper describing different learning styles. The students must then match the description with the corresponding learning style.
- Finally, the students will share their answers with the class.
Explanations of How the Strategy will Help Students Learn Critically Thinking
This activity will help students learn critically and allow them to see that there are different ways to learn. Additionally, it will help them to understand that not everyone learns in the same way. This knowledge is essential because it will encourage students to be more understanding and tolerant of others and help them to be more flexible in their learning (Muali et al.,2018). Finally, it will help them to understand that there is more than one way to learn something, which will encourage students to be more open-minded and try different approaches when they struggle to learn something.
Learning styles incentivize students to think about their ideal methods of learning, offering them further influence and responsibility over their education. Learning styles are linked to Howard Gardner’s theory that each individual has a diverse range of intelligence, and that cognition is not a stable trait in any one person (Witte, 2012). Since every student has a unique learning style, it is important to keep this in mind while teaching. Therefore, in addition to making learning fun, they may also help instructors improve their professional abilities. Writing the different learning styles on a sheet of paper and showing the students will enhance there is no fixed method of learning. In other words, the teacher should try to customize learning to fit each student’s preferred style of learning. The students can take notes as the teacher discusses the learning styles.
Background Information on the Instructional Strategy
The instructional strategy of “Adapting to Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences” is based on the idea that different students learn differently. This strategy is designed to help teachers adapt their teaching methods to better accommodate all of their students. This procedure is vital because it ensures that all students have a chance to learn the material in a way that works best for them, which will help to improve student engagement and motivation (Astra et al., 2020). Since students learn differently, it is crucial to incorporate this strategy to enhance an excellent classroom learning environment.
Materials Used in the Classroom
- Sheet of paper with different learning style descriptions.
- Pen or pencil.
- Posters.
Posters assist in concentrating and motivating students to study. It is a useful method for attracting and retaining the attention of small kids and sustaining their curiosity about a certain topic. They are handy for learners and teachers since they facilitate Significantly quicker knowledge absorption. The instructor may display four colorful posters, one for each learning style. To complete the exercise, the instructor must locate a question on the Internet or create one. After completing the question, the students may display these posters for review all through the term. The instructor may take a photo of each pupil and place it next to his or her highest IQ.
Strategy: Note Booking/Journaling
Note-taking is the act of making and preserving written or printed notes. Taking notes involves more than just writing down what is stated. It involves identifying the most important details to memorize or study. Understanding complicated or comprehensive things becomes easy. Thus, through note taking students to become more skilled at organizing complex information (Witte, 2012). Note-taking can be a helpful way to record and organize information that can be remembered. When taking notes, one can choose to write down only the main points or can include more detail. Consistently, note-taking is a beneficial approach to synthesizing information and drawing links between concepts (Witte, 2012). There are many ways to take notes; some prefer to use a notebook, while others prefer to use a digital device. Some people like to write down everything they hear, while others only write down the main points. The important thing is to find a method that works.
Type of Strategy
Outlining.
Activity Name
Making notes.
Activity Description
- The students will draw a line along the middle on a piece of paper.
- The students will list the major topics of the lecture on the left side of the paper.
- The students will list the details that support each key point on the right side of the paper.
- The students will use colors or symbols to help organize notes.
An outline is a tool used to organize ideas or information in a hierarchical structure. It is a way to organize information to be easily understood and remembered visually. Outlines can be used for anything from essays to speeches to research papers. There are many different ways to create an outline, but the most common method is to use a system of headings and subheadings. Headings are the main ideas or topics, and subheadings are the supporting details or information.
Explanations of How the Strategy will Help Students Learn Critically Thinking
There are many benefits to note-taking, including:
- It can help remember information better.
- It can help process and understand information better.
- It can help organize information.
- It can help prepare for exams.
- It can help prepare for meetings.
Note-taking is a valuable critical thinking tool for recording and organizing information. When taking notes, one can choose to write down only the main points or can include more detail. Actively writing notes in class may assist students in maintaining concentration and gaining a deeper understanding of the course material. In other words, the act of taking notes can help to remember information better since they can refer whenever they forget. When writing down information, note-taking helps one to understand and remember information better (Witte, 2012). The most effective students have a common characteristic: they take notes in an accurate manner.
Thus, organizing information can also be helpful for critical thinking. For example, when note-taking, one can organize the information in a way that makes sense. This organization helps those taking notes see the big picture and connect ideas. Preparing for exams and meetings is another benefit of notetaking. This method can be helpful when someone is preparing for a test or presentation. Additionally, note-taking is a valuable critical thinking tool for recording and organizing information. For instance, one can write down only the main points when taking notes.
Background Information of the Instructional Strategy
Journaling is the act or process of making and preserving written or printed notes.” Note-taking can be a helpful way to record and organize information. For example, when taking notes, one can write down only the main points or include more detail (Witte, 2012). There is no “right” way to take notes, and different people prefer different methods. For example, some people prefer to use a notebook, while others prefer to use a digital device. Likewise, some people like to write down everything they hear, while others only write down the main points. The important thing is to find a method that works.
Materials Used in the Classroom
- Notebooks.
- Pens.
- Paper.
- Whiteboard.
- Markers.
Using a notebook encourages students to organize and display their notes with more attention. The use of notebooks lays more obligation on the learners to discover, adapt, and adhere to a system that works effectively for them handwritten notes (rather than typing) improve comprehension and retention of knowledge. It is simpler for a tutor to determine if pupils are following instructions and upholding the content adequately, or whether they are taking unorganized or illegible notes. In addition, interactive notebooks enable students to establish connections between their knowledge and skills based on their individual learning styles. Interactive notebooks are similar to composition or spiral-bound notebooks, but they go beyond conventional note-taking. This program enables students to alter and arrange information in a layout that fits best to them. This technique improves the student-centered classroom, which may increase students’ performance. Having students use not just a pen and paper in the classroom, but also markers may offer a tactile depth to note-taking that is beneficial to learners.
Technology Resources
Computers.
Conclusion
Students must develop critical thinking because it enables them to comprehend better and evaluate information. It is a talent that may assist individuals in their academic endeavors, professional endeavors, and personal life. Critical thinking may also assist pupils in better comprehending and analyzing information, making better choices, and solving issues. Critical thinking entails analyzing a topic or issue in depth and developing an original solution. It also demands the capacity to think creatively and observe things from various angles. As a result, critical thinking is a vital ability for students’ academic and personal success.
There are many strategies that teachers can use to improve critical thinking among students. The discussion has focused on three such strategies comprising: Academic vocabulary and language, adapting to learning styles/multiple intelligences, and note booking/journaling. Academic vocabulary and language are used in educational discourse and literature and are not often found in speech, yet they are related to more known terminology used by learners. This underscores the importance of teaching students this strategy as a way of enhancing their critical thinking. Learning styles may help educators design, adjust, and construct more effective educational methods and curricula. Additionally, it can inspire students to participate in these activities and drive them to acquire exceptional understanding. Lastly, journaling helps enhance essential abilities such as critical thinking, language, and writing. Students might effectively channel their creative spirit by maintaining a diary in which they can indulge in regular reflective writing or simply scribble. Imagination may assist pupils not just in articulating themselves but also in overcoming uncomfortable feelings.
References
Astra, I. M., Budi, E., & Evita, C. (2020). The effects of active learning model guided note taking on student’s critical thinking ability in high school. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1521(2), 022006.Web.
Ebadi, S., & Rahimi, M. (2018). An exploration into the impact of WebQuest-based classroom on EFL learners’ critical thinking and academic writing skills: A mixed-methods study. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 31(5-6), 617-651.Web.
Liang, W., & Fung, D. (2021). Fostering critical thinking in English-as-a-second-language classrooms: Challenges and opportunities. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 39, 100769. Web.
Muali, C., Islam, S., Bali, M. E. I., Hefniy, Baharun, H., Mundiri, A., Jasri, Moh., & Fauzi, A. (2018). Free online learning based on rich internet applications; the experimentation of critical thinking about student learning style. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1114, 012024. Web.
Witte, P.H. (2012). Classroom Assessment for Teachers. McGraw Hill.