خلاصة:
This study addressed the impact of teaching critical thinking (CT) principles through argument mapping (AM) techniques on the CT and reading abilities of a number of Iranian male and female EFL learners who studied English at a language institute in Isfahan province. For this purpose, 30 male and 30 female intermediate EFL learners were chosen on the basis of their performance on the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT); further, the reading section of an IELTS practice test was applied. For the collection of the required data, California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST), which had been validated in Persian, was conducted twice, once before and once after the treatment. The study employed a quantitative pretest-treatment-posttest design in which AM techniques including information organization, structure reasoning, evidence consideration, assumption identification, evaluation of arguments, and communication of conclusions were introduced to the participants in 6 steps. Then, the CCTST and IELTS reading sections were administered again as the posttests. The statistical analysis of the obtained results using the paired-samples t test, based on the comparison of CT and reading ability according to the scores obtained from the pretest and posttest taken by the male and female learners, revealed the improvement in the five subcomponents belonging CT and reading ability from pretest to posttest. The present study provides insights useful for EFL teachers, learners and materials developers.
ملخص الجهاز:
The study employed a quantitative pretest-treatment-posttest design in which AM techniques including information organization, structure reasoning, evidence consideration, assumption identification, evaluation of arguments, and communication of conclusions were introduced to the participants in 6 steps.
Further CT skills have attracted many researchers addressing learners' achievement and attitudes; in this regard, many language studies have shown the importance of improving thinking skills that are an advanced level , as well as the good effect of CT on the learners’ success in the contexts which could be characterized as being more EFL (Hashemi&Ghanizadeh 2012).
Data Collection Procedure Since this study research was mainly intended to find the effect that critical thinking (CT) instruction principles via argument mapping (AM) techniques can have on the CT and reading abilities of Iranian male and female EFL learners, homogeneous samples of male and female EFL learners were needed.
More specifically, this study investigated whether argument mapping methods had any significant effects on the participants' reading ability and critical thinking skills.
6. Conclusion To address the research questions posed in the present study, some paired-samples t tests were conducted on the participants critical thinking as well as reading comprehension a number of Iranian male as well as female EFL learners in some pretests and posttests.
Based on the statistical analysis performed, we could show the positive effects of the technique of argument mapping on the ability of critical thinking as well as the reading comprehension of those who were addressed in this research.
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