Exploring Teachers’ Perceptions Of Critical Thinking In English Language Classrooms In Higher Education

Résumé: Language teachers are trained to teach language skills, but they do not always learn how to teach the critical thinking skills that help guide learning. In the literature about teaching critical thinking, teacher behaviours are regarded as the most influential variables for the development of critical thinking among students. However, teachers can implement instruction geared towards critical thinking only when they develop a conception of critical thinking. The purpose of this study is to explore Algerian university teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking as well as the strategies they use to implement critical thinking into their courses. A qualitative study was conducted using a structured interview addressing Algerian English language lecturers from different higher educational institutions, namely teachers from the Higher Training Teacher’s College of Oran, teachers from the University of Mostaganem Abdelhamid Ibn Badis and teachers from the University of Oran 2 Mohamed Ben Ahmed. Fifteen teachers were asked to answer the interview. It has been found that although the majority of teachers have adequate knowledge about critical thinking, they lack support in their implementation and they are merely focusing on the comprehension of the subject matter. In addition, they were faced with various challenges and claimed to need further support with their teaching of critical teaching. The study calls for more customized professional development on the integration of critical thinking into the English language curriculum, materials development and pedagogical practice.

Publié dans la revue: ALTRALANG Journal