Speaker
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
The analysis shows that students demonstrated a much wider and stronger range of critical thinking skills in the scaffolded condition than in the unscaffolded condition. This suggests that while critical thinking skills can be taught through CML instruction, learners’ ability to mobilise these skills appears to be dependent on scaffolded classroom practices such as peer discussion, guided analytical activities, and iterative engagement with texts. Implications for the teaching and assessment of critical thinking in L2 writing classrooms will be discussed.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The study was conducted in a university EFL writing course with intermediate (B1–B2) learners from Chinese and Japanese L1 backgrounds. Over one semester, students were explicitly taught critical thinking through CML, with a focus on bias and logical fallacies. In class, students completed three critical analysis tasks: two under a multi-class scaffolded cycle and one unscaffolded. Handwritten essays were analysed using a qualitative coding framework focusing on critique move types, clarity, and appropriateness.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Critical thinking is increasingly emphasised as a key goal in L2 writing and EFL classrooms, yet many instructors report difficulty in teaching and assessing these skills. In particular, Japanese EFL learners are frequently characterised as lacking critical thinking skills (Egitim, 2022), and such abilities are sometimes framed as culturally incompatible with Eastern educational norms (McKinley, 2013). Despite the acknowledged importance of critical thinking and these assumptions, there remains limited classroom-based, evidence-driven research examining how such skills are actually developed and demonstrated in EFL contexts (Lin, 2018).
Abstract section 5: References
Egitim, S. (2022). Do Japanese students lack critical thinking? Addressing the misconception. Power and Education, 14(3), 304-309.
Lin, Y. (2018). Developing critical thinking in EFL classes: An infusion approach. Springer.
McKinley, J. (2013). Displaying critical thinking in EFL academic writing: A discussion of Japanese to English contrastive rhetoric. RELC Journal, 44(2), 195-208.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
This study examines how intermediate EFL university learners (n = 20) develop and apply critical thinking skills through critical media literacy (CML) and the critical analysis of media texts. By comparing students’ written critical analyses under scaffolded vs. unscaffolded conditions, the study addresses two questions: (1) To what extent do learners demonstrate critical thinking skills with scaffolded support? and (2) To what extent are these critical thinking skills evident when scaffolding is removed?
| Title | Teaching Critical Thinking Through Media Text Analysis |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | College and university education |