CRITICAL THINKING WHILE TEACHING INTEGRATED SKILLS by Pavlo

CRITICAL THINKING WHILE TEACHING INTEGRATED SKILLS by Pavlo Svitlychnyi Cherkasy First City Gymnasia 2013

Language Skills Listening Speaking Reading Writing It has been widely accepted that integrating the four skills can develop communicative competence because it focuses on the realistic communication.

Integration of the four skills Development of communicative competence

The integrated-skill approach, as contrasted with the purely segregated approach, exposes English language learners to authentic language and challenges them to interact naturally in the language.

Integrated-skill instruction Content-based Learning content through language Task-based Doing tasks that require communicative language use

HOW TO INTEGRATE THE LANGUAGE SKILLS IN TEACHING Learn more about the various ways to integrate language skills in the classroom (e. g. , content-based, task-based, or a combination). Reflect on their current approach and evaluate the extent to which the skills are integrated. Choose instructional materials, textbooks, and technologies that promote the integration of listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as the associated skills of syntax, vocabulary, and so on. Even if a given course is labeled according to just one skill, remember that it is possible to integrate the other language skills through appropriate tasks. Teach language learning strategies and emphasize that a given strategy can often enhance performance in multiple skills.

…a curriculum aimed at building thinking skills would be a benefit not only to the individual learner, but to the community and to the entire democracy. John Dewey

What is critical thinking? "the mental process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion" "disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence" "reasonable reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do" "purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based" "includes a commitment to using reason in the formulation of our beliefs"

SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN CRITICAL THINKING Interpreting according to a framework Relating theory to practice Making a claim and supporting it Using appropriate evidence Making links between ideas Asking questions Evaluating Predicting Describing Analysing Synthesising Categorising Establishing cause and effect Comparing and contrasting Identifying problems and solutions

TWO STAGES OF LEARNING Internalization Application

The main characteristics of critical thinking are: Rationality Self-awareness Honesty Open-mindedness Discipline Judgment

Some critical thinking activities which boost students’ critical thinking skills: make observations. listen attentively to others. recognize and define problems. be curious, ask relevant questions and use multiple resources to find facts. challenge and examine beliefs, assumptions and opinions. assess the validity of statements and arguments. know the difference between logical and illogical arguments. make wise decisions and judgments. find valid solutions.

Activities that combine critical thinking with teaching integrated skills are: ranking exercises discussions values clarification techniques thinking strategies problem-solving activities role play and simulations

Your Order Please I go alone on the train to Richmond, and then I walk to my school. In the afternoons we usually do sport. I get up at 6. 45 a. m. , because my train to school leaves an hour later. My day at school is quite ordinary. At 9. 30 my dad tells me to go to bed. I don’t eat a lot for breakfast. In the evenings, I do my homework, then I play computer games. I have lessons in the morning, and then lunch at school. I also like reading and playing chess. I’m not really interested in sport.

Word Wizard (discussion) speaking, listening, writing. Step 1: The teacher asks the class to imagine the following situation: “A wizard has taken away all the words from the world. Everybody can keep just four words. Choose four words which you would like to keep and write them down. ” Step 2: Each student finds a partner and tries to communicate using only his four words. They share their words with each other so that now both have six words they can use. Each pair shares its six words with another pair, so that both have ten, and so on. In the end everybody has a certain number of words. Step 3: Either alone or with a partner the students write a story or poem using only these words. These stories or poems are read out or stuck up on the wall.

Implementation of critical thinking and integrative approach can help a teacher create a productive atmosphere in his or her class and make sure that students’ all-round abilities are well improved. A combination of activities involving different skills enhances the focus on realistic communication, which makes the students be more motivated and more involved and engaged enthusiastically in classroom activities. Integration of the skills accustoms the learners to combining listening and speaking in real time, in natural interaction.

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