Critical Reflection as a Means in Teaching and Learning critical Reading: Perceptions and Practices of EFL Teachers and Students

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue VI, June 2018 | ISSN 2454-6186

Critical Reflection as a Means in Teaching and Learning Critical Reading: Perceptions and Practices of EFL Teachers and Students

Yeshambel Tadele Alem

PhD Student in TEFL Program, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

Abstract: Critical reading is an essential skill in interpreting, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating written texts read. This critical skill of reading needs dynamic and plausible classroom strategies. Critical reflection was proposed as a strategy to facilitate critical reading among EFL teachers and students in reading classes. To this end, the main objective of the study was to assess how EFL teachers and students perceived in practicing critical reflection in enhancing students’ critical reading skills. To collect data via questionnaire and interview, random sampling method was used. P=0.005 sig (level of significance) which is less than 0.05 sig shows that the null hypothesis that EFL teachers and students perceived positively in practicing critical reflection in scaffolding teaching and learning critical reading was not supported; rather EFL teachers and students had less positive perceptions in practicing critical reflection in teaching and learning critical reading. The result of the study proved that EFL teachers had better perceptions than students on the practice of critical reflection to enhance students’ critical reading skills. In addition, the collected data from interview gave witness that EFL teachers and students practiced critical reflection in a less extent although it has paramount effects in enhancing students’ critical reading skills.

Keywords: critical reflection, critical reading skills, critical reading teaching and learning in reading classes

I. INTRODUCTION

In view of constructivism, critical reflection as a strategy has been practiced in EFL classes to enhance students’ performance in every aspects of English language teaching and learning (Murphy, 2009). In a similar vein, critical reflection as a strategy is assumed in enhancing students’ critical reading skills in reading classes. This was the reason that the researcher proposes a study on the effects of critical reflection in enhancing students’ critical reading skills in reading classes. Therefore, the researcher provides overview on critical reflection and critical reading as follow.

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