Jul 2026· International Journal of Instruction· 0 citations· 47 references
Abstract
This qualitative case study investigates how integrating critical thinking (CT) into an English Public Speaking (EPS) course supports Chinese EFL undergraduates’ communicative competence. Six second-year English majors at a private university in Shaanxi participated in semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations, and analysis of their speech drafts and final scripts. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings show that CT-integrated tasks helped students organize arguments more coherently, use evidence more strategically, and adopt a more audience-responsive, persuasive delivery. At the same time, CT application was constrained by rote learning habits, public speaking anxiety, heavy workloads, and the cognitive load of thinking critically while speaking in English. Differences between early and later starters of English revealed distinct needs: early starters required scaffolding to deepen analysis, whereas later starters needed linguistic support to free cognitive resources for reasoning. The study suggests that differentiated scaffolding, interactive CT-focused activities, and explicit teacher feedback on reasoning are crucial for aligning CT development with communicative competence in EPS courses. It offers analytic generalization for CT-integrated EFL instruction in exam-driven, large-class contexts.
This study aims to address the growing need for critical thinking in the information age, and the documented challenges of fostering critical thinking among Chinese EFL learners who are often constrained by linguistic limitations and a cultural reluctance to challenge authority. Based on a single-case implementation of an adapted literature circle activities model with intermediate English majors at a private Chinese college, and using James Joyce’s “Araby” as the focal text, the researcher intends to determine whether, and through what mechanisms, critical thinking can be developed in this context. Data were collected through classroom video recordings, student work samples, teacher reflective journals, and pre- and post-lesson interviews. The findings indicate marked improvement in five dimensions of critical thinking which are active participation, reasoned discussion, curiosity and confidence, multiple perspectives, and empathetic engagement, and this improvement is attributed to three interacting factors: the intrinsic properties of the literary text, the streamlined four-task circle design, and the teacher’s scaffolding role. Therefore, the case study suggests that adapted literature circle activities can effectively bridge language teaching and intellectual growth to cultivate in students a disposition toward questioning that begins with textual interpretation and extends to self-reflection.
Zhaoyu Yang· English Language Teaching an...· 0 citations
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically Large Language Models like ChatGPT-4, into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction offers significant pedagogical opportunities, yet its qualitative impact on higher-order cognitive processing remains nuanced. This study provides an in-depth qualitative thematic analysis examining how ChatGPT-4 is integrated into Extensive Reading classes to foster critical thinking skills, evaluating the resulting cognitive transformations, identifying learner challenges, and capturing instructional reflections. Using a convergent parallel mixed-method design grounded in Facione's Critical Thinking Framework and Vygotsky's Social Constructivism, data were collected from 48 second-semester EFL undergraduate students and their instructor at University X, Kudus, Java, using classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, student worksheets, and standardized pre-/post-tests. Thematic analysis of qualitative data revealed five major thematic dimensions: (1) Guided Pedagogical Integration & Scaffolding, (2) Cognitive Deepening in Textual Processing, (3) Collaborative Critical Dialogue & Peer Evaluation, (4) Operational & Epistemic Challenges, and (5) Instructional Reflection on AI Mediation. Quantitative findings corroborated these thematic insights, demonstrating a statistically meaningful improvement in critical thinking scores (Pre-test M = 49.7; Post-test M = 73.5; Normalized Gain g = 0.65, Moderate). The findings demonstrate that ChatGPT-4 operates effectively as an artificial mediational tool within the Zone of Proximal Development when paired with structured prompts and teacher-led reflection, transforming learners from passive consumers into active, analytical evaluators.
Keywords: ChatGPT-4, Extensive Reading, Critical Thinking, Thematic Analysis, EFL, Artificial Intelligence in education.
Fina Khiyarotun Nisa, R. Haryanti· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Oral corrective feedback (OCF) is widely recognised as a key pedagogical mechanism in the development of second language speaking proficiency; however, existing research has largely examined OCF in controlled settings or focused on isolated feedback types, offering limited insight into how feedback is interpreted, negotiated, and enacted within authentic classroom interaction. Addressing this gap, this qualitative study examines how cognitive, social, and affective processes shape teachers’ and students’ experiences of feedback in Chinese university English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. Rather than treating OCF as a purely technical corrective move, the study conceptualises it as a relational and context-sensitive pedagogical process. Drawing on interactionist and sociocultural perspectives, the study investigates the perspectives of 12 university English teachers and 24 undergraduate students across fluency- and accuracy-oriented speaking tasks. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, non-participant classroom observations, and stimulated-recall sessions, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that OCF is understood not merely as a technical response to linguistic error but as a relational pedagogical practice embedded in task demands, classroom norms, and interpersonal considerations. Teachers emphasised the strategic calibration of timing, explicitness, and scaffolding to support noticing and self-repair, while students foregrounded relational sensitivity, emotional safety, and face protection as conditions for meaningful engagement with feedback. Three interrelated tensions were identified: negotiating explicit correction alongside affective comfort, managing face and hierarchical relations during public feedback, and orchestrating teacher, peer, self-, and technology-supported feedback within everyday classroom activity. Overall, the study demonstrates that the effectiveness of OCF emerges from the dynamic coordination of cognitive, affective, and interactional factors rather than from isolated feedback techniques. The study contributes to EFL pedagogy in Asian higher education by offering a reconceptualised understanding of OCF as a relational, affect-sensitive, and contextually mediated process, with implications for designing task-sensitive and learner-responsive feedback practices.
Rong Zhu, M. Mokhtar· Asian-Pacific Journal of Sec...· 0 citations
Objective: To investigate how Literature Circles can be pedagogically adapted to the Indonesian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context to foster students' critical thinking while accommodating curriculum requirements, students' language proficiency, and classroom learning needs in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. Method: A qualitative case study was conducted at an Indonesian senior high school involving one English teacher and twelve eleventh-grade EFL students. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis, including lesson plans, students' worksheets, dialogue journals, and learning products. The data were analyzed using coding, categorization, thematic analysis, and triangulation. Results: The findings revealed that Literature Circles were successfully adapted through modifications to instructional procedures, collaborative learning stages, reading materials, and role assignments, including the addition of Text Analyzer and Grammar Pointer roles to align with the Indonesian genre-based curriculum. These adaptations promoted six dimensions of critical thinking interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, and self-regulation while enhancing students' affective, cognitive, and behavioral engagement in collaborative learning. Novelty: The study proposes a contextualized adaptation model of Literature Circles for Indonesian secondary EFL classrooms, demonstrating how collaborative reading can be integrated with curriculum demands to foster critical thinking, student engagement, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) through student-centered learning.
Junie Darmaningrum, L. Lestari, P. Retnaningdyah· Journal of Current Studies i...· 0 citations
The study investigates how this integration affects comprehension, critical thinking, student engagement, learner autonomy, and the particular difficulties that students face using thematic analysis. Student perspectives, classroom observations, and classroom records were used to collect data. Using detailed information from ten informants with a range of skill levels, this qualitative case study examines the impact of combining language and content in academic reading for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in higher education. The results show that students' reading comprehension is much improved by contextualizing reading materials, structuring instruction, and connecting the subject to real-world scenarios. Giving students the chance to relate academic material to their own experiences increases their engagement and sense of autonomy. However, issues with technical jargon, a lack of prior knowledge, and the interpretation of statistical or graphical data remain obstacles. Scaffolded analysis, modeling of reading strategies, and pre-teaching of specialist terminology are among the effective tactics identified. These findings highlight the importance of adaptable, targeted teaching strategies for EFL students. Such interventions are essential for fostering critical thinking, academic literacy, and independence. Integrating language and content supports EFL learners in overcoming reading challenges and achieving academic success.
Asrul Asrul, Abdulhalim Daud, Awaludin Rizal et al.· GLENS: Global English Insigh...· 0 citations
This mixed-methods study investigated the English language and content needs of Thai EFL undergraduates to inform the development of in-flight communicative English materials integrating intercultural communicative competence (ICC). A stratified survey was administered to 265 airline business management students from multiple universities in Bangkok, followed by semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. Quantitative findings showed that students prioritised speaking and listening skills, particularly for handling real-time service interactions, safety procedures, and conflict situations. They also identified professional cabin crew skills and ICC as essential content areas. The qualitative phase provided deeper insights into students' expectations for authentic cabin-crew-related tasks, the need for a clearer understanding of cabin crew duties, the value of ICC in managing culturally diverse passenger interactions, and role-play as a preferred activity. These findings highlight the need for ESP learning materials that integrate aviation-specific communication, ICC, and ESP teaching pedagogy. The study also contributes to ESP and materials development by proposing evidence-based directions for designing English for airline courses that better prepare Thai EFL learners for global aviation contexts.
Parinya Khumruk, Supong Tangkiengsirisin· The New English Teacher· 0 citations