Advances in Language and Literary Studies - Vol. 6 No. 2 - April 2015 - A Review on Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Literary Texts

Oct 15, 2026

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Many ESL instructors agree that students must be supported in developing critical thinking skills throughout the language learning process, particularly at higher proficiency levels. Critical thinking helps learners make purposeful, self-regulatory judgments, evaluate others’ and their own arguments, and reach reasoned resolutions to complex problems while resolving daily-life conflicts. It also positions students as active participants who understand and apply classroom information. Incorporating literature study can strengthen overall literacy and critical thinking, especially when texts are authentic, enjoyable, and motivating, increasing language pattern knowledge and cultural awareness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Critical Thinking Defined

Historical foundations (Socratic Method and Dewey)

Modern developments (Ennis, Glaser, and appraisal tools)

Key definitions and consensus efforts

Advances in Language and Literary Studies ISSN: 2203-4714 Vol. 6 No. 2; April 2015 Australian International Academic Centre, Australia Flourishing Creativity & Literacy A Review on Developing Critical Thinking Skills through Literary Texts Noraini Ahmad Shukri (Corresponding author) Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia [E-mail: norshukri@yahoo.com.my](E-mail: norshukri@yahoo.com.my) Jayakaran Mukundan Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia E-mail: [jayakaranmukundan@yahoo.com](jayakaranmukundan@yahoo.com) Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.2p.4 URL: [http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.2p.4](http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.6n.2p.4) Received: 25/ 10/2014 Accepted: 07/01/2015 Abstract Many ESL instructors are generally in agreement with the belief that it is essential that students should be assisted in developing critical thinking skills while being engaged in their language learning process especially those learning the target language at higher level (Stern, 1985; Dickinson, 1991; McKay, 2001; Terry, 2007; Van, 2009; Odenwald, 2010) . As it enables language learners to engage in a more purposeful and self-regulatory in judgment, helping them in their evaluation of the arguments of others and of their own, coming to well-reasoned resolutions to any complex problems and to be able to resolve conflicts encountered in their daily lives. Critical thinking requires them to be actively involved in their own learning process as they attempt to individually understand and apply the information they are exposed to during the classroom interaction (Landsberger, 1999; Tung & Chang, 2009) . The many advantageous and feasibility of teaching instruction that incorporates the study of literature in the ESL classroom which suggests that literature texts, if correctly chosen and instructed, can prove to be beneficial to ESL students ’overall level of literacy and critical thinking skills. Numerous empirical researches also asserted that literary texts that are authentic, enjoyable, and motivating would naturally increase both their knowledge of the target language patterns and cultural awareness. Keywords: Critical thinking, ESL classroom, literature, literary text 1. Critical Thinking Defined The notions of critical thinking have been introduced by prominent Greek intellectuals such as Socrates, Aristotle and Plato as early as 2500 years ago. These philosophers acknowledged the need for development of the quality of human reasoning skills, thus developing the early criteria for critical thought, for what we now know as Critical Thinking. A well known process of questioning referred to as the Socratic Method, developed by Socrates was designed to facilitate people in the community to see the apparent inconsistencies and assumptions in their current beliefs and reasoning systems. However, by the 1930’s John Dewey, an American educational psychologist contended that learning to think should be the fundamental purpose in our system of education. He referred to this form of thought processing as"reflective thinking" and an "active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of grounds which support it" (Dewey, 1934, p. 9) . By the 1960’s a more modern understanding of critical thinking is developed by Enniss (1962), who suggested the importance of assisting students with the engagement of a thinking process that is a more reflective, reasonable, and directed on what to believe or do. During the 1980’s, based upon Dewey’s idea of critical thinking, Edward Glaser (1980) developed one of the most highly employed test of critical thinking termed as the Watson-Glaser Thinking Appraisal. After some extensive readings on various studies conducted on the notions of critical thinking by past researchers, the author thus dis

FAQs

How does the article describe the role of critical thinking in ESL learning?

It states that critical thinking enables purposeful, self-regulatory judgment, helping learners evaluate arguments and reach well-reasoned resolutions while dealing with conflicts in daily life.

What historical origins of critical thinking does the article mention?

It points to Greek intellectuals like Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato, and describes the Socratic Method as a questioning approach that exposes inconsistencies and assumptions.

Why does the article argue for using literary texts in the ESL classroom?

It explains that literature, when correctly chosen and taught, can improve ESL students’ overall literacy and critical thinking, and that authentic, enjoyable texts can increase language pattern knowledge and cultural awareness.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Terk