ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
Developing skillful thinking contribute to young language learners’ language skills (Goh & Taib, 2006) and is a fundamental goal in educating school children in general (Hu et al., 2011) and in teaching English to young learners in particular (G. Ellis & Brewster, 2014). Fostering thinking skills develops school children’s cognitive abilities and leads to positive curricular outcomes (Higgins, Hall, Baumfield, & Moseley, 2005). However, despite the role of thinking skills in second language learning and teachers’ interest in thinking skills at the level of primary school (Alwadai, 2014; Gashan, 2015), the practice of teaching thinking skills at primary school is still lacking (Anyachebelu, 2012; Polat, 2015; Rodrigues, 2006). There is only modest contribution of the teachers’ practices to teaching thinking skills (Sardare & Saad, 2013) and there is a dire need for further work on primary students’ synthesis, analysis, and interpretation skills (Pilten, 2010). In addition, teachers of English language require practical ideas to improve students’ thinking skills (Adams, 2013) especially in the ESL/EFL contexts. Through a rigorous review of previous research on fostering thinking skills and provides a series of strategies or techniques, namely Content-Based Instruction, Task-Based Language Teaching Approach, English Literature, and Mental Modelling in Reading Comprehension, the authors argue that these strategies or techniques can be used for teaching or embedding thinking skills in the context of English as a Second/Foreign Language for young learners at primary school.
Adams, J. W. (2013). A case study: Using lesson study to understand factors that affect teaching creative and critical thinking in the elementary classroom. Drexel University.
Allahverdi, S., & Gholami, J. (2014). The Effects of Raising Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners ’ Critical Thinking on Vocabulary Learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 98, 212–219.
Alvarenga, D. M. D. F. (2012). Developing Young Learners ’ Logical / Deductive Thinking Skills and Second Language Skills through a CLIL approach. Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Alwadai, M. A. (2014). Islamic Teachers’ Perceptions of Improving Critical Thinking Skills in Saudi Arabian Elementary Schools. Journal of Education and Learning, 3(4), 37–48.
Anyachebelu, F. E. (2012). Teachers ’ Extent of use of Teaching Strategies that Impact on the Thinking Skills of Learners. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2(May), 409–415.
Arnold, N. (2009). Online extensive reading for advanced foreign language learners: An evaluation study, (7th ed.). Foreign Language Annals, 42(2), 340–366.
Berry, C. F., & Mindes, G. (1993). Planning a theme-based curriculum: Goals, themes, activities, and planning guides for 4s and 5s. Glenview, IL: Good Year Books.
Bland, J., & Lütge, C. (eds). (2013). Children’s Literature in Second Language Education. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Education Goals. Cognitive Domain. Handbook 1. London: Longman.
Bowman, L. A., Carpenter, J., & Paone, R. A. (1998). Using graphic organizers, cooperative learning groups, and higher order thinking skills to improve reading comprehension. Saint Xavier University.
Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., & Wesche, M. (2003). Content-based second language instruction. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press. Brophy,.
Bygate, M. (2001). Effects of task repetition on the structure and control of oral language. In et al. M. Bygate (Ed.), Researching pedagogic tasks: Second language learning teaching and testing (pp. 23–48). Harlow: Pearson Education.
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Chamot, A. (1993). Student responses to learning strategy instruction in the foreign language classroom. Foreign Language Annals, 26(3), 308–331.
Chamot, A. (1995). Creating a community of thinkers in the ESL/EFL classroom. TESOL Matters, 5(5), 1–16.
Chamot, A. U., & O’Malley, J. M. (1994). The CALLA handbook: Implementing the cognitive academic language learning approach. Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley.
Chou, M., & Chou, M. (2015). A Content-Based Approach to Teaching and Testing Listening Skills to Grade 5 EFL Learners A Content-Based Approach to Teaching and Testing Listening Skills to Grade 5 EFL Learners, 4018(October).
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2010). Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dato, A., Baharuddin, H., Rafik-galea, S., & Yuit, C. M. (2015). Evaluating the Effects of Extensive Reading Circles on Esl Learners ’ Oral Communicative Competence Evaluating the Effects of Extensive Reading Circles on Esl, 4(1), 75–92.
Duenas, M. (2004). The Whats, Whys, Hows and Whos of Content-Based Instruction in Second/Foreign Language Education. International Journal of English Studies, 4(1), 73–96.
Duffy, G., Roehler, L., & Herrmann, B. (1988). Modelling mental processes helps poor readers become strategic readers. The Reading Teacher, 41(8), 762–767.
Echeverri, L., & McNulty, M. (2010). Reading Strategies to Develop Higher Thinking Skills for Reading Comprehension. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 12(1), 107–123.
Ellis, G., & Brewster, J. (2014). Tell it Again! The Storytelling Handbook for Primary English Language Teachers. British Council.
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press. New York.
Ellis, R. (2005). Principles of Instructed Language Learning. System, 33.
In-Text Citation: (Tehrani & Razali, 2018)
To Cite this Article: Tehrani, H. T., & Razali, A. B. (2018). Developing Thinking Skills in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language at Primary School. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 7(4), 13–29.
Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode