critical thinking questions for esl students

• Copyright 2007-2021 пїЅ
• Submit a worksheet
• Mobile version

Critical Thinking Activities for ESL Students

Critical thinking skills are fundamental for setting up ESL students for future success.

It’s important for them to have opportunities to develop skills such as giving opinions, providing supporting evidence, debating ideas including rebuttal, negotiating, compromising and coming to conclusions.

These are skills that are necessary to be able to communicate with native speakers on an equal language level – so TESOL teachers should provide a learning environment where ESL students can practice inside the classroom to prepare for life outside the classroom.

Activity 1 – Stockland Court Case

Below there are two articles written on the same topic. The most obvious question to ask about them is, ‘Why is Text 2 shorter?’ Of course, it’s easy to see that it has less vocabulary. But what kind of vocabulary is it lacking?

The first vocabulary difference is that in Text 1, the first word is ‘struggling.’ The writer didn’t include this adjective by accident. He’s trying to create sympathy for Stanway by implying the property developer is up against forces more potent than itself.

Note the next difference. Text 1 uses the phrase ‘shot down’, whereas Text 2 uses ‘lost.’ The expression ‘shot down’ originally came from World War I where airplanes or balloons were fired on in order to destroy them immediately or force them to crash.

This concept of destruction is powerful and highly negative, whereas ‘lost’ is a far more neutral word. Why use this kind of evocative vocabulary? This question leads us to the difference between subjective and objective writing.

Subjective information is based on personal opinions, whereas objective writing is based on factual evidence. As you read through Text 1, you can see that the writer has a clear bias – and he’s trying to persuade readers to agree with his point of view.

Most people, if they see a dispute between a 63-year-old aboriginal man and a property developer, would instinctively side with the man. It’s easy to see that man as an underdog up against a bullying adversary, and therefore worthy of our support.

However, the writer of Text 1 is trying to flip our natural inclination. He wants us to see the 63-year-old aboriginal man as the ‘bad guy’ and the property developer as deserving of our sympathy.

Ask your ESL students to get into pairs or small groups, find all the vocabulary differences in the two texts, and discuss how these differences affect meaning. You can get them to finish off by debating about which article they are more inclined to believe and why.

Activity 2 – Mysteries

I’ve found that it’s always good for English Language Teachers to bring humour into the classroom when you can – and this activity (see below) is a sure-fire way to get your ESL students laughing and smiling.

One important point – while students should be encouraged to have fun with this, no student should be embarrassed or humiliated in the process. Make this an important rule, and make sure it’s enforced.

Like with Activity 1, ask your students to get into pairs or small groups. Encourage every member in each group to come up with their own explanation to solve the mysteries.

For each of the ten mysteries outlined, there are an infinite number of possibilities. So, each team will need to choose their best explanation for each mystery. After the discussion time, you could get each team to give a report – to share their chosen explanations with the rest of the class.

For Mystery 1 – Someone sent him/her a present, but there was no card – your students should answer all the WH questions (and to do this for all the other mysteries as well):

Who: Who sent the present? What: What was the present? Why: Why was the present sent and why was there no card? Where: Where did the student receive the present? Where did it come from? When: When did the student receive the present? When was it sent? How: How was it delivered?

Once students have answers to these questions, they are then able to construct a story. But the students must ensure that all story elements can be linked, and that there are no gaps or inconsistencies in their storyline.

Recent Posts

• Great Ways to Give Your TESOL Students Feedback
• Teaching ESL to Children – Fun Activities For Young Learners
• ESL Discussion Topics that will Make a Real Difference
• Can I be a TESOL Teacher if English isn’t my First Language?
• Vocabulary Teaching Strategies for ESL Teachers

Recent Comments

19 Short Stories and Questions For Critical Thinking

Apr 2, 2024

There have been rumblings in different online teacher groups recently about replacing novels with short stories and informational articles in middle and high school English classrooms. I have to admit I was shocked when I first read the comments because I am a book lover at heart, but since then, I’ve considered that there are several pros and cons to this approach.

Short stories and other smaller texts can provide a briefer timeline to complete tasks, and this process is helpful when there is already SO MUCH curriculum to cover. Short stories and related activities can also be more engaging for our students because of the exposure to diverse voices and themes! Using short stories and lessons provides students with amazing choices to meet their needs and preferences!

On the other hand, incorporating mainly short stories and other shorter passages means students’ already-pressed attention spans (as a result of social media influences and pervasive sources of technology) are reinforced. Plus, students miss out on the more complex stories within longer pieces of fiction that are, dare I say, life-altering! A novel can provide opportunities for sustained reading and layers for analysis that shorter pieces of literature like short stories and related texts cannot offer.

Ultimately, no matter where you find yourself on the issue, I think we can all agree that short stories and their counterparts can be vital, effective, and helpful in the modern classroom!

Continue reading for 19 Short Stories and Questions For Critical Thinking!!

Need help with Test Prep ?  Check out this  FREE Pack of 3 Test Prep Activities  to help students achieve success on standardized tests!

Table of Contents

19 Short Stories and Questions – Suggestions for Teaching Them

You don’t need to remove all novels to be able to include short stories and smaller passages like vignettes, articles, and narratives; there’s a time and place for all genres! But if you’re thinking about ways to include more short stories and fun activities, check out this list of 19 varied short stories and critical thinking questions as well as suggestions for teaching them in middle school and high school.

1.  “The Most Dangerous Game” 

“The Most Dangerous Game” is one of my absolute favorite short stories and overall plots to teach! This suspenseful short story by Richard Connell follows the harrowing ordeal of Sanger Rainsford, a skilled hunter who becomes the prey of a deranged aristocrat named General Zaroff. Stranded on Zaroff’s secluded island, Rainsford must outwit the cunning general in a deadly game of survival, where the stakes are life and death. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING:

• You could focus on the setting (description of time and place) and examine how the setting changes throughout the story.
• Students could learn about the plot (major events in the story) and list the major events and evidence as they read.
• Define foreshadowing (hints for what will happen by the end of the story) and encourage students to hypothesize about what will happen after every page.
• Analyze the character development (how a character changes over time) of Rainsford and highlight his traits/actions as you read along.

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS:

• How does the setting contribute to the tension and suspense in the story?
• How does the author use foreshadowing? How does the author hint at the danger Rainford is facing?
• What inferences can you make about the main character and the changes he undergoes from the beginning to the end of the story?

If you want to teach plot elements and plot analysis , check out this lesson bundle for the story , which includes comprehension quizzes and a variety of activities!

2.  “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”

Ambrose Bierce’s story is a gripping tale set during the American Civil War, where a Southern civilian named Peyton Farquhar faces execution by hanging after attempting to sabotage a Union railroad bridge. As Farquhar falls through the trapdoor, time seems to stretch, and he experiences a surreal moment, only to realize his grim reality. 

Integrating historical texts with other short stories and passages like “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” will make history come more alive and relevant for our students!

• Teach about irony (when the opposite occurs from what is expected) and how it plays a role throughout the story.
• Explain the term characterization (how a character is depicted) by looking at direct and indirect references while reading with your students.
• Discuss the major themes (messages) of the story and how they connect to our modern era within a Socratic Seminar.
• How does the author use characterization to convey Peyton Farquhar’s thoughts, emotions, and motivations?
• What is the purpose of irony in this story? How does its use affect the reader’s interpretation and understanding of events?
• What is the significance in our contemporary/real world of the themes of the story, including reality and fantasy, the passage of time, and the consequences of actions?

Ensure students’ understanding of the story with this set of reading questions that are perfect for state test prep, too !

3.  “The Masque of the Red Death”

This chilling tale from Edgar Allan Poe is set in a secluded abbey where Prince Prospero and his wealthy guests attempt to escape a deadly plague known as the Red Death. Despite their isolation efforts, the guests are confronted with their own mortality as a mysterious figure in a blood-red mask appears.

If you have not read any short stories and poems from Poe, this story is a perfect journey into the horror genre!

• The setting (description of time and place) plays a MAJOR role in the story, so following the Prince from room to room and highlighting the imagery (description that connects to the five senses) is very important when reading.
• If you have not introduced mood  (emotion intended for the reader to experience), this story is PERFECT for delineating its progression from start to finish.
• As students read, you might guide them through identifying various examples of  symbolism  (object, person, or place that represents something else); each room, objects within, and the “antagonist” is symbolic in some way!
• How does the author convey the tone of the story? How would you, as the reader, describe the story’s mood?
• What role does the plot structure (focus on the different rooms) play in shaping the reader’s understanding of the story?
• What is the purpose of the symbolism in the story such as the clock and the masked figure?

Check out this EASY-TO-TEACH bundle , you can practice with your students, so they will feel more confident analyzing higher-level language in “The Masque of the Red Death!”

4.  “The Cask of Amontillado”

Another chilling tale from Poe is the classic story “The Cask of Amontillado.” This one is set during Carnival in an unnamed Italian city. The plot centers on a man seeking revenge on a ‘friend’ he believes has insulted him. If your students are anything like mine, they will relish the ending particularly!

This is just one more of Poe’s short stories and tales that will capture the mind of every reader!

•  As you plan for this short story, be sure to encourage your students to analyze the changing setting (description of time and place); following Fortunato from scene to scene will help your students track what is really going on.
• This story is the perfect moment to teach about dialogue (conversation within someone=internal and/or between someone and someone/thing else=external); Montresor certainly means more than what he SEEMS to say!
• You might also offer a mini-lesson on the 3 types of irony and how each plays a role in the story: verbal (when a person says the opposite of what is really intended), situational (an action occurs that is the opposite from what the reader expects), and dramatic (a character expects a result, but the opposite occurs and the audience can tell what will happen)!
• Describe Montresor. What are his motives and personality?
• What inferences can you make about Montresor’s mindset based on his dialogue?
• What is the purpose of the family’s motto and the carnival atmosphere? 

Check out this Short Story Activity & Quiz Bundle for Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” which contains questions and answers modeled after various reading standardized tests as well as pre-quiz reading comprehension questions, graphic organizers, and a writing activity to get students thinking critically about this classic short story involving REVENGE!

Want 7 more teaching ideas for one of Poe’s epic short stories and questions to go with it? Click below!

5.  “To Build a Fire”

This story by Jack London describes the treacherous journey of a man through the harsh Yukon wilderness during extreme cold. Despite warnings and the company of a loyal dog, the man’s arrogance and underestimation of nature’s power lead to a tragic end.

Short stories and ideas related to survival in nature are still relevant today! Who knows when you might get lost on a hike or crashland in no man’s land?

• This story is PERFECT for a bit of  literary analysis  (examining the impact of various ideas, elements, or themes within a piece of literature); you could hone in on literary devices, characterization, theme, etc.!
• Integrating clips from survival shows will help students see connections to the world and extend their thinking by comparing (recognizing similarities) and contrasting (recognizing differences) varied experiences!
• Write a short narrative about surviving 24 hours in a different setting (description of time and place).
• How does the author use irony? Provide an example and explain. 
• What real-world connections can be made between this story and our contemporary life? 
• What is the story’s message about preparedness and respecting nature?

Grab these engaging short stories and activities to make teaching this Jack London story stress-free!

6.  “The Cactus”

Told from the point of view of a young man at his former lover’s wedding, the narrator retells their story. Like most of O. Henry’s short stories and texts, this one has a twist that involves the titular cactus plant.

The ending will end in a bit of fun for your students!

• Introduce diction (word choice) and its impact within the story by hyperfocusing on specific words within the story . Students can look up definitions, locate synonyms, create their own sentences, replace the words, etc.
• Investigate twist endings (unexpected finish to a story); before reading the end of the story, ask students to guess why the girl “rejected” him. Some students may know the answer before reading it!
• Describe the main characters. What similarities and differences are evident? How does this affect the story’s action?
• What inferences can you make about Trysdale and his feelings about love and marriage?
• What are the real and symbolic meanings of the cactus?

This resource packed with questions and answers, graphic organizers, and writing activities is sure to get your students thinking about this love story driven by misconceptions.

7.  “After Twenty Years”

This tale of friendship and betrayal focuses on the reunion of two old friends after twenty years apart on a New York City street corner. As they reminisce, something is revealed that demonstrates the reality of their bond as well as the choices they’ve made in life.

If you have not read O. Henry’s short stories and incorporated character analysis yet, this is your chance! The story is not long and can be completed in one to two class periods!

• Sometimes, we ask students to visualize (create a picture) in their minds, but why not give them the opportunity to use their artistic skills to draw the two characters?
• As students read, annotate for a description of each character; then, students can do a character analysis (investigation of the characters’ similarities and differences).
• What type of irony is used in the story? How does its use affect your interpretation and understanding of the story?
• How does the urban setting contribute to the mood of the story?
• What is the story’s message about friendship and loyalty?

Examine the links between loyalty and duty with this set of resources designed specifically for this O. Henry story.

8.  “The Lottery”

“The Lottery” is the quintessential short story for middle school or high school English! Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” tells the story of an annual ritual that takes place in a seemingly idyllic town. When the townsfolk gather for the lottery drawing, a shocking turn of events demonstrates the dark side of human nature and their ties to (outdated) traditions.

• Introduce the terms suspense (uncertainty and/or excitement leading up to a major event) and tension (anxiety or uneasy feelings experienced by characters). While reading, identify evidence that relates to each of these concepts and chat/write about their impact on meaning and plot.
• Teach title (the name of the text) analysis. The title of “The Lottery” is perfect for teaching the impact of the title and audience expectations. Before reading, students may write what they believe the story will be about based on the title. After reading, students can complete a quick write responding to their previous expectations! You can do a text analysis for all short stories and poems!
• What role does the plot structure play in building suspense and tension? (Consider the revelation of the lottery’s ‘prize’ in particular.)
• What social commentary is being made through the story and its characters?
• Describe Mr. Summers, Tessie, and Old Man Warner. What does the story reveal about their role in the community and their feelings about the lottery?

Give yours elf a breath of fresh air with this NO PREP curriculum that integrates test prep within the teaching of literature by using Shirley Jackson’s quintessential story!

9.  “The Pedestrian”

This Ray Bradbury story follows a lone walker in a futuristic society in which everyone else is consumed by technology, particularly the television. One evening, the walker encounters a police car that questions his unusual behavior and the end is quite unexpected! (Most of Bradbury’s short stories and texts connect to the future and technology in some way!)

• This story exemplifies Dystopian Literature (texts that include a supposedly perfect future society marred in some way by governmental or societal oppression). Using this story to introduce this type of literature is always fun for students because they will easily make connections to other dystopic short stories and poems!
• Teach about mood (the emotional impact of a story’s description/action). The goal is to get students to deepen their critical thinking skills by recognizing how the mood changes and the purpose for that change!
• How does the author use foreshadowing and suspense to build the mood of the story?
• What is the central theme of the story? How might it connect with our current world?
• What similes and metaphors does Bradbury use to describe the community and its members? What is notable about these comparisons?

With this resource about Bradbury’s “The Pedestrian,” you can just print and teach the lesson and activities with EASE! 

10.  “The Gift of the Magi”

This 1905 story by O. Henry relays a tale about a couple struggling to make ends meet. Throughout the story, they both figure out gifts to buy one another for Christmas and realize what love truly means!

• Review character traits (how a character is depicted internally and externally). Log the traits of each character within the story and how they are important to the meaning of the story.
• Extend (move beyond the text) critical thinking skills by encouraging students to think and write about other people. If they had $1,000 to spend on someone else, how would they spend the money and why?

• How would you describe Della and Jim, and their relationship?
• What values do the characters have, when you consider their actions and decisions?
• Explain how dramatic irony is used in the story. Is it necessary? Is it effective? Why or why not?

This tale is a great addition to your short stories and questions unit around the winter holidays! Save yourself time at that time of the year with this lesson bundle . 

11.  “The Monkey’s Paw” 

“The Monkey’s Paw” is a classic horror story about the White family who come into possession of a mystical monkey’s paw that grants three wishes. Despite warnings, they use it and then face devastating consequences as a result.

• Teach about the elements of the horror/suspense genre (Ex. Scary movies are typically dark, stormy, surprising, morbid, etc.).
• Create a thematic statement (message relayed by the text in a complete sentence). There is no perfectly created theme (message) unless it is directly stated by the author; however, students can create a theme by supporting their ideas with evidence from the story!
• What is the main theme of the story? Or how does the author communicate the themes of greed or fate? Is one stronger than the other?
• Are Mr. and Mrs. White more alike or different from one another? How do you know?
• Should we be afraid of the unknown? What message does the story share? Do you agree or disagree?

Examine W.W. Jacobs’ classic story with this set of questions and answers along with rigorous reading and writing activities . While it is ideal for a spooky season, the story is valuable for its ability to hook readers any time of year!

12.  “Lamb to the Slaughter” 

This classic story with a killer plot twist is about a woman who kills her husband and gets away with murder thanks to cooking a leg of lamb!

• You could introduce the plot elements (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution), encourage students to identify major events to fit each element and write down textual evidence to support their ideas.
• Complete a film analysis (examination of film techniques and their effects) to compare/contrast the short story with the classic Alfred Hitchcock television episode.
• What is Mary Maloney’s state of mind? Does it remain the same or does it change throughout the story? Explain.
• Is the resolution of the story satisfying? Why or why not? Why do you think the author ended it as he did?
• How does irony contribute to the theme of deception in the story? Explain.

Spice up your middle school English or high school English class with this short stories and activities bundle for Dahl’s famous story!

13.  “The Tell-Tale Heart” 

Poe’s classic psychological thriller is narrated by an unnamed protagonist who insists on their sanity while recounting how they murdered an old man. The narrator is haunted by the sound of the victim’s beating heart, which ultimately drives him to confess to the crime despite not originally being a suspect. 

• Teach symbolism (object, person, or place that represents something else) by focusing on the heart and eye . The author used these symbols in various ways!
• Investigate psychology (the study of the human mind) as a part of the story. Determine what is fact and what is fiction within the narrator’s mind.
• What does the story reveal about the human psyche?
• What is the deeper meaning of the two key symbols in the story – the beating heart and the eye of the old man?
• What role do the narrator’s inner thoughts play in the development of the plot?

This Short Story Comprehension Bundle offers quick (and effective!) ways to assess students’ learning and understanding of the story. It’s easy to use and will no doubt save you time too!

14.  “The Scarlet Ibis” 

Emotional short stories and their counterparts have a place as well in English classrooms! This short story by James Hurst about two brothers is a heartbreaking must-read. Through flashbacks, the unnamed narrator tells the life story of his younger sickly brother William Armstrong, who is nicknamed Doodle. And the end…well, you’ll see.

• Define and explain the purpose of a flashback (referring back to the past within a story). Think about the implications of never thinking back on the past or always thinking about the past.
• Complete a comparison chart between Doodle and the Ibis as you read along. Then, students can create a visual of each after they have ready by using their own evidence!
• What is the meaning of the story’s title and the presence of a scarlet ibis in the story?
• What is the central theme of the story? How do the events of the story support this chosen theme?
• How does the author use personification for the storm? What effect does this have on the story?

This flexible resource features critical thinking questions and answers as well as writing and reading activities for students to explore Hurst’s heartbreaking story.

15.  “The Veldt” 

This science fiction story by Ray Bradbury was first published as “The World the Children Made” and it is quite fitting as a title! The story focuses on a futuristic world in which a video screen can be controlled and it turns out to be more than simple virtual reality! By the story’s conclusion, the world the children made is the downfall of their parents. 

• Compare and contrast “The Veldt” with “The Pedestrian,” two short stories and dystopic texts by Ray Bradbury. Analyze the similarities and differences of both short stories and create a thematic statement that connects to both texts!
• Make connections to our current reality in the 21st century. Locate research about the implications of technology on young people and integrate this information as you discuss this short story.
• How does the author address the theme of technology versus humanity in the story? Do you agree with this commentary? Why or why not?
• How does the nursery reflect the personalities of Wendy and Peter in this story?
• Do you know the story of Peter Pan and his friend Wendy? What connections can you make between it and this story by Ray Bradbury?

Ray Bradbury’s classic short stories and similar passages are the BEST to teach in middle and high school English! With so much to dive into, they are sure to be a hit with your students. Grab this set of activities to extend your students’ engagement with rigorous reading and writing activities about “The Veldt.” 

16.  “The Necklace” 

A woman who longs for a life of luxury and elegance beyond her means faces consequences when she loses a borrowed necklace. Guy de Maupassant’s story ends with a twist that has the reader question the value of material possessions. 

• I love comparing this short story with O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi.” You might choose to focus on the theme, characterization, setting, etc.
• Summarize (writing about the main idea with details) each chunk of the story as you read with your students. Instead of asking students to write a paragraph, you could ask students to create each summary in only one sentence.
• The story explores vanity, deception, and the consequences of striving for social status. Which theme do you think is the most important? Explain with support from the story.
• Is Mathilde Loisel a likable character? Does this change during the story? Does it matter if the reader likes her? Why or why not?
• What clues does the author provide throughout the story that foreshadow the twist at the story’s end?

Focus on the standards with this Short Story Lesson Bundle for “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant!

Need help with implementing activities for “The Necklace?” See below!

17.  “A Vendetta” 

Guy de Maupassant’s late-19th-century story is all about REVENGE. A mother is obsessed with creating a plan to avenge her son’s murder and she then puts the plan into action with a morbid outcome.

• There are so many texts that involve REVENGE! Why not use this concept as a focus for a thematic unit (texts linked to a similar concept and/or message)? You could read “A Poison Tree,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “Lamb to the Slaughter” as well as “A Vendetta” with the intention of writing about all 4 for a comparison/contrast paper, presentation, or seminar.
• Analyze the development (how a character changes over time) of the mother and the dog throughout the story; you might annotate for similarities and differences as well as their motivations!
• What comment is the story making about the nature (or need) for justice? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
• What similes and metaphors does the author use to communicate the main character’s feelings about the vendetta?
• How does the author use details to explain the main character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivation?

Add these activities for this lesser-known work to your short story plans. It’s sure to keep things fresh for your short stories and activities unit! 

18.  “Thank You, Ma’am” (also known as “Thank You, M’am”)

This heartfelt story by Langston Hughes tells the story of Luella, an older woman in the neighborhood, who is nearly robbed by a young man named Roger. In response to Roger, Luella brings him back to her home and treats him with an abundance of kindness, which has a profound effect on Roger.

This tale is at the top of the list for the BEST short stories and passages for upper middle and younger high school students!

• Introduce perspective and/or point of view (how a story is told: 1st, 2nd, 3rd omniscient, 3rd limited, 3rd objective). Students might rewrite the story from another perspective or extend the story using the perspective of one of the main characters.
• Review plot elements with a focus on the exposition (introduction to the characters, setting, and conflict), climax (highest point of interest/turning point of the story), and resolution (how the story is concluded and/or resolved in some way.) You could assign an activity surrounding each concept: visualization of the scene, a journal response to the event, or a short response focused on how the element is important to the overall theme!

• Do you believe in second chances? What does the story say about second chances? 
• How might the climax of the story also be seen as the turning point in Roger’s life?
• How would you describe Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones? Are her actions expected or unexpected in the story? Consider from Roger’s and the reader’s point of view.

Click to check out all of the details for this BUNDLE with differentiated options , which includes a Test Prep Quiz (with varied options), Venn Diagrams, Graphic Organizers, and Writing Responses!! 

19.  “Click Clack the Rattle Bag”

This short story by Neil Gaiman is creepy and fun in the best ways possible! The narrator is taking care of his girlfriend’s little brother and walking him to bed when the child asks for a story. Instead of the narrator sharing a story, the boy shares about the Click Clacks who drink their prey and leave behind rattling bodies. The end is too good to be missed!

Short stories and plots like those in “Click Clack the Rattle Bag” will most certainly engage even your most struggling learners!

• We all know that test prep can be tough as many reading passages are, well, boring! Why not accomplish some test prep with your students and incorporate 5 standardized test-related questions ? You could focus on theme, structure, order of events, characterization, etc.!
• Help students make inferences (acknowledging and hypothesizing about the impact of details that are not directly referenced or stated) as the scene moves along. Students can analyze the change in the setting, the little boy himself, the story the boy is telling, and specific phrases from the story.
• What details in the story contribute to its eerie atmosphere or mood? Or what figurative language devices does Neil Gaiman use to create a sense of suspense in the story? 
• How does the author use ambiguity in the story? Is it effective or not? Explain.
• What inferences can you make about the relationship between the narrator and the young boy?

This “Click Clack the Rattle Bag” Quiz Pack for middle and high school students uses the Common Core standards and contains questions and answers modeled after various state standardized tests! Make teaching this amazing short story by Neil Gaiman SIMPLE & EASY!

Why should we incorporate more short stories and activities in our teaching?

While I would never advocate replacing all novels with short stories and smaller texts, there is still something to be said about spending quality time with short stories and excerpts. 

Including short stories and standards-based activities is an ideal option to improve reading comprehension and develop skills, especially in middle and high school English classes!

SHORT STORIES AND ACTIVITIES RESOURCES: 

This  Short Stories and Test Prep Questions ULTIMATE BUNDLE with Lessons, Quizzes, and Activities uses the Common Core standards with reading comprehension QUESTIONS and ANSWERS for 18 short stories such as “The Most Dangerous Game,” “The Monkey’s Paw,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “After Twenty Years,” “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Veldt,” “The Lottery,” “The Pedestrian,” etc. modeled after various state reading exams.

Make teaching short stories and activities SIMPLE & EASY!

Just PRINT & TEACH with engaging short stories and lessons!!

Need more fun ideas for teaching short stories and corresponding activities? Check out my store Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep !

Hi, I’m KRISTIN!

I primarily focus on  integrating multiple disciplines and subjects. The goal is to make teaching simplified and effective!

Let's Connect

• Follow Follow

Click below to download “13 Simple Strategies to make test prep a breeze!”

Sharpen your critical thinking (CAE Speaking Part 3)

• Exam Tasks (FCE/CAE/CPE...)

Grammar - conjunctions

This is a standalone lesson but it can also be used as part of the set titled:

• Forming logical arguments

LESSON OVERVIEW

With this lesson plan, students evaluate the validity of arguments using the information from a video about logical fallacies. They also practise conjunctions and do a Cambridge CAE Speaking Part 3 activity. 

VOCABULARY & VIDEO

At the beginning of the lesson, students discuss what critical thinking is. They will use the ideas from the discussion to do the CAE Speaking Part 3 activity in the last part of the lesson. Then, students replace seven words in context with their synonyms. The words are related to critical thinking and arguments (e.g. faulty – flawed, refute – counter ). Students also share their thoughts about two of the statements which they agree with or relate to personally. Next, students read six arguments and decide what makes them faulty and how they would refute them. After that, they watch the first part of the video and explain what a logical fallacy is. After watching the second part, students discuss the logical fallacies from the video . They also look at the arguments from the beginning of the lesson and decide which logical fallacies they exemplify. Students watch the second part of the video again to check their answers.

CONJUNCTIONS & CAE SPEAKING PART 3

In the activity, students read nine sentences and choose the correct conjunctions (e.g. whereas, since, and yet ). Then,  they need to rewrite arguments using the words in brackets and make any necessary changes to the statements. After that, students need to evaluate the validity of the arguments they transformed and decide whether they display any logical fallacies. Finally, students do a Cambridge CAE Speaking Part 3 task. They need to talk about the importance of critical thinking in some professions, and then decide which of them least requires the skill of critical thinking. While doing the task, students need to use at least three conjunctions practised in the lesson. The worksheet also contains two more CAE Speaking Part 3 tasks which the teacher might decide to do at the end of the lesson or at the beginning of the next one. 

Subscribe to unlock these and many other Standalone lesson with the Premium plan

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Such a great lesson!

Wow!! What an inspiring & thought-provoking lesson!! Thank you!!

Thank you, Irina!

ESL Brains, thank you for all your lessons! They’re just the best!

We’re really happy to hear that! Thanks 🙂

Great lesson, my student loves it! However, the last 2 slides with CAE Speaking activities are hidden during the presentation. Could you unhide them and make them appear, please? Peter

Thanks for the comment! We purposefully set these slides to skip because these are extra tasks. There are two ways out of this: make your own copy of the e-lesson plan and unclick the skip option OR exit the presentation mode on slide 36, go to slide 37 and start the Present mode again. In such a case, when you press space or click the mouse button, you will get to the other skipped slide before the thank you page appears.

This is phenomenal!

Thanks, Liam!

👏👏👏👏 Great lesson!

👏👏👏👏 A really fun and beneficial lesson.

Thanks! I’m really happy you find it useful 🙂

This lesson is just immaculate!

Thank you, Vadim 🙂

An excellent lesson about critical thinking!!! Well paced and developed and so interesting for our students these days!!! Thank you!

Thank you! I’m glad you like the lesson 🙂

Ewa, your lessons are flawless. I simply loved this one.

That was superb!!

Awesome, thanks!

Browse other materials recommended for you

Agree to disagree? Negotiating conflict

Explore the world of conflict with this lesson! Students discuss conflict narratives, resolution tactics, and personal conflict styles. They learn collocations, discuss opinion statements, and listen to a podcast.

The more the merrier? Friendships and Dunbar’s number

Engage students in talking about friendships with this lesson! They watch a video about a social theory, examine friendship situations, discuss their challenges and do some extra vocabulary activity.

It’s a one-way street! Parasocial relationships

With this engaging lesson, students read an article, discuss parasocial relationships and talk about fandom. They also share their experiences, learn vocabulary to talk about the topic and give their opinions on fans and fandoms.

This is why we have accents (pronunciation activities)

Engage in the exploration of accents and pronunciation! Students talk about how they feel speaking a foreign language, explore vocabulary to discuss accents and practise pronunciation skills.

Lone wolf or social butterfly? Understanding personalities

With this lesson, students talk about personality types, revise adjectives to describe themselves and watch a video about how birth order affects a person. They also brainstorm why people change their personalities and discuss whether they agree with different opinions.

Financial crimes

In this lesson, students practise vocabulary related to financial crimes and watch a video about money laundering. They also discuss real cases of financial fraud, read a film synopsis and talk about their personal opinions.

Brave new influencers

With this Flipped lesson, advanced students get a great chance to revise and practise grammatical aspects, learn collocations connected to social media activity and have engaging conversations about AI influencers.

Let’s talk money

With this speaking lesson, students talk about financial literacy, listen to excerpts from a podcast on the topic and discuss their experiences and perspectives. They also analyse money-related situations and come up with solutions.

When familial meets professional

In this lesson, students reflect deeply on work-family dynamics, explore nuances of nepotism, and enrich vocabulary through engaging discussions. Students also listen to excerpts from a podcast to spark critical thinking.

Is there a minimum subscription period if I choose a monthly subscription?

No, there’s no minimum required number of subscription months. You can cancel any time you want. Basically, you can sign up and then cancel your subscription the next day, which will mean you have access for 1 month and won’t be charged again.

What currencies can I pay in for my subscription?

Our default currency is USD (American dollar), but you can also pay in EUR (euro), GBP (British pound sterling) or PLN (Polish zloty). You can change the currency you want to pay in at the Pricing page before selecting a subscription plan.

How can I edit an e-lesson plan?

You can get your own editable copy of an e-lesson plan and make changes to it. To do so, either (1) make a copy of it on your Google Drive (preferable method) or (2) download it in a Powerpoint format (but formatting might be a bit off so we can’t guarantee that it will work well).

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Jump to navigation Jump to Content

• Newsletters

• Supporting ELLs Through COVID-19
• New to Teaching ELLs?
• ELL Glossary
• Special Populations
• Resources by Grade
• ELL Resources by State
• ELL Policy & Research
• ELL News Headlines
• Serving and Supporting Immigrant Students
• Special Education and ELLs
• Social and Emotional Support for ELLs
• ELL School Enrollment
• Bilingual & Dual-Language Education: Overview
• COVID-19 & ELLs
• College Readiness for ELLs
• ELL Program Planning
• Events During the School Year
• Programs for Success
• School Libraries
• ELL Family Outreach
• For Administrators
• For Paraprofessionals
• Supporting Newcomer Students: Resource Gallery
• Creating a Welcoming Classroom
• ELL Classroom Strategy Library
• ELL Strategies & Best Practices
• Language & Vocabulary Instruction
• Literacy Instruction
• Content Instruction for ELLs
• Common Core
• Technology & ELLs
• The Role of ESL Teachers
• Navigating Tough Topics in the Classroom: Tips for ELL Educators
• Help Your Child Learn to Read
• Learning Together at Home
• The Preschool Years
• Schools and Families: An Important Partnership
• School Success
• Raising Bilingual Kids
• Technology at Home
• Resources for Parents of Teens
• Visiting the Public Library
• When Your Children Need Extra Help
• Colorín Colorado Book Finder
• Books for Young Children
• Books for Kids
• Books for Young Adults
• Books for Professionals
• Diverse Books: Resource Guide
• Pura Belpré: Her Life and Legacy
• Literacy Calendar
• Meet the Authors
• Classroom Videos
• Advice for New Teachers of ELLs
• Meet the Experts
• Meet the Administrator
• Facebook Live Series
• PBS Show: Becoming Bilingual
• Being Bilingual Is a Superpower!
• Family Literacy: Multilingual Video Series
• Supporting ELLs During COVID-19: Educator Voices
• Administrators
• Paraprofessionals
• Parents & Families
• ELL Resource Collections
• Guides & Toolkits
• Multilingual Tips for Families
• Reading Tips for Parents (Multilingual)
• Reading Tips for Educators
• Topics A to Z
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Research & Reports
• Web Resources
• Colorín Colorado Blog
• Natural Disaster Resources for Schools
• Responding to a Crisis

Add new comment

Generating questions: using critical thinking skills, on this page, how can educators teach critical thinking skills, suggested activities.

Critical thinking is the process of actively analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information gathered from a variety of sources, using a framework designed to lend structure and clarity to the thinking process. As children think, they use their background knowledge, as well as information gathered from other sources, to draw their own conclusions. One of the challenges when teaching critical thinking skills to English language learners (ELLs) is helping them develop adequate background knowledge and adequate vocabulary to support this type of higher order thinking.

The article Hooked on Thinking by Ann Paziotopoulos and Marianne Kroll, describes critical thinking using a skyscraper analogy. Using a construct based on Bloom's Taxonomy, the authors compare the different layers of critical thinking (see chart below) to the different levels of a building. The foundation of the building, or the lowest level of critical thinking, would be represented by such tasks as recalling facts from a story. At the second level, students might be expected to give a summary or an explanation of a story. At the third level, students would be expected to relate the story to their own lives. At the fourth level, they would compare and contrast elements within the story. The fifth level would require hypothesizing or creating something new based on the reading. To reach the top of the skyscraper, or the sixth level, students must be able to synthesize the information from the story and then formulate their own opinions.

An important element of higher order thinking is learning to ask critical questions. ELLs in particular need assistance in learning how to ask these types of questions that will enhance their understanding (i.e. What if Little Red Riding Hood did not take the long way to Granny's house? What would have happened to her?, etc.). Teachers can begin this process by pre-teaching vocabulary and helping students build background knowledge prior to reading.

Lower Grade Activities

• In lower grades, the teacher should present this lesson as a whole group activity.
• Ensure ELLs receive a list of any challenging vocabulary words they might encounter. It's a good idea to provide an explanation and the meaning for each word before they begin to read the story.
• Begin to model higher thinking skills , by evaluating your student's different levels of knowledge.

Upper Grade Activities

• Teachers may choose to first model the first paragraph and then let students work in small groups as they find the main idea.
• Have students read a story and write several questions for each level (adapting Bloom's Taxonomy for use with literature ).
• Have students work in groups to answer the questions they have created.

Bloom's Taxonomy: An Introduction

This site offers an introduction to different stages of Bloom's Taxonomy theory, as well as methods for applying the theory in lesson plans.

Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education

This article describes Howard Gardner, the creator of the Multiple Intelligences theory, and his "seven intelligences."

Critical Thinking Skills in Education

This site explains in depth what critical thinking is and why teachers need to teach these skills.

Paziotopoulos, A. & Kroll, M. (2004). Hooked on thinking. The Reading Teacher , 57(7), 672-677.

Liz Fothergrill teaches at Barstow Memorial School in Chittenden, VT. She has a Master's degree in Speech Language Pathology and a specialization in Reading/Language Arts. She has been teaching for over 26 years, and her main interest is in language and vocabulary development. She also provides support in early literacy instruction and reading fluency. She provides professional development instruction within her school district in early literacy assessment and reading comprehension strategies.

Major support provided by our founding partner, the AFT.

With generous support provided by the National Education Association.

Related Content

• Analysis of a PARCC ELA Assessment Task Through an ELL Lens (Part 1)
• Teaching Informational Text to ELLs
• Instructional Suggestions for ELLs: PARCC Assessment Task (Part 2)
• Background Knowledge: A Key to Close Reading with ELLs

Most Popular

10 Strategies for Building Relationships with ELLs

Culturally Responsive Instruction for Holiday and Religious Celebrations

Language Objectives: The Key to Effective Content Area Instruction for English Learners

12 Ways Classroom Teachers Can Support ELLs

Jim replied on Thu, 2009-12-03 10:52 Permalink

Great site--great resources! What does WETA stand for?

More information about text formats

• No HTML tags allowed.
• Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
• Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

48 Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area

What Are Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area?

by TeachThought Staff

Critical thinking is the heart and soul of learning, and–in our estimation anyway–ultimately more important than any one specific content area or subject matter.

It’s also an over-used and rather nebulous phrase — how do you teach someone to think? Of course, that’s the purpose of education, but how do you effectively optimize that concept into lasting knowledge and the ability to apply it broadly?

Looking for more resources to teach critical thinking? Check out our critical thinking curricula resources on TpT.

What Is Critical Thinking?

This question is what inspires the creation of seemingly endless learning taxonomies and teaching methods: our desire to pin down a clear definition of what it means to think critically and how to introduce that skill in the classroom.

This makes critical thinking questions–well, critical.  As Terry Heick explains in What Does Critical Thinking Mean?:

“To think critically about something is to claim to first circle its meaning entirely—to walk all the way around it so that you understand it in a way that’s uniquely you. The thinker works with their own thinking tools–schema. Background knowledge. Sense of identity. Meaning Making is a process as unique to that thinker as their own thumbprint. There is no template.

After circling the meaning of whatever you’re thinking critically about—navigation necessarily done with bravado and purpose—the thinker can then analyze the thing. In thinking critically, the thinker has to see its parts, its form, its function, and its context.

After this kind of survey and analysis you can come to evaluate it–bring to bear your own distinctive cognition on the thing so that you can point out flaws, underscore bias, emphasize merit—to get inside the mind of the author, designer, creator, or clockmaker and critique his work.”

A Cheat Sheet For Critical Thinking

In short, critical thinking is more than understanding something — it involves evaluation, critiquing, and a depth of knowledge that surpasses the subject itself and expands outward. It requires problem-solving, creativity, rationalization, and a refusal to accept things at face value.

It’s a willingness and ability to question everything.

The Ultimate Cheat Sheet For Digital Thinking by Global Digital Citizen Foundation is an excellent starting point for the ‘how’ behind teaching critical thinking by outlining which questions to ask.

It offers 48 critical thinking questions useful for any content area or even grade level with a little re-working/re-wording. Enjoy the list!

48 Critical Thinking Questions For Any Content Area

See Also:  28 Critical Thinking Question Stems & Response Cards

About The Author

Teachthought staff.

Educationise

11 Activities That Promote Critical Thinking In The Class

52 Critical Thinking Flashcards for Problem Solving

Critical thinking activities encourage individuals to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to develop informed opinions and make reasoned decisions. Engaging in such exercises cultivates intellectual agility, fostering a deeper understanding of complex issues and honing problem-solving skills for navigating an increasingly intricate world. Through critical thinking, individuals empower themselves to challenge assumptions, uncover biases, and constructively contribute to discourse, thereby enriching both personal growth and societal progress.

Critical thinking serves as the cornerstone of effective problem-solving, enabling individuals to dissect challenges, explore diverse perspectives, and devise innovative solutions grounded in logic and evidence. For engaging problem solving activities, read our article problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest.

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a 21st-century skill that enables a person to think rationally and logically in order to reach a plausible conclusion. A critical thinker assesses facts and figures and data objectively and determines what to believe and what not to believe. Critical thinking skills empower a person to decipher complex problems and make impartial and better decisions based on effective information.

More Articles from Educationise

• 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom
• How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples
• 9 Must-Have AI Tools for Teachers to Create Interactive Learning Materials
• The Future of Education: 8 Predictions for the Next Decade
• The Latest in EdTech: 5 Innovative Tools and Technologies for the Classroom
• 8 Free Math Problem Solving Websites and Applications

Critical thinking skills cultivate habits of mind such as strategic thinking, skepticism, discerning fallacy from the facts, asking good questions and probing deep into the issues to find the truth.

Importance of Acquiring Critical Thinking Skills

Acquiring critical thinking skills was never as valuable as it is today because of the prevalence of the modern knowledge economy. Today, information and technology are the driving forces behind the global economy. To keep pace with ever-changing technology and new inventions, one has to be flexible enough to embrace changes swiftly.

Read our article: How to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Students? Creative Strategies and Real-World Examples

Today critical thinking skills are one of the most sought-after skills by the companies. In fact, critical thinking skills are paramount not only for active learning and academic achievement but also for the professional career of the students. The lack of critical thinking skills catalyzes memorization of the topics without a deeper insight, egocentrism, closed-mindedness, reduced student interest in the classroom and not being able to make timely and better decisions.

Benefits of Critical Thinking Skills in Education

Certain strategies are more eloquent than others in teaching students how to think critically. Encouraging critical thinking in the class is indispensable for the learning and growth of the students. In this way, we can raise a generation of innovators and thinkers rather than followers. Some of the benefits offered by thinking critically in the classroom are given below:

• It allows a student to decipher problems and think through the situations in a disciplined and systematic manner
• Through a critical thinking ability, a student can comprehend the logical correlation between distinct ideas
• The student is able to rethink and re-justify his beliefs and ideas based on facts and figures
• Critical thinking skills make the students curious about things around them
• A student who is a critical thinker is creative and always strives to come up with out of the box solutions to intricate problems
• Critical thinking skills assist in the enhanced student learning experience in the classroom and prepares the students for lifelong learning and success
• The critical thinking process is the foundation of new discoveries and inventions in the world of science and technology
• The ability to think critically allows the students to think intellectually and enhances their presentation skills, hence they can convey their ideas and thoughts in a logical and convincing manner
• Critical thinking skills make students a terrific communicator because they have logical reasons behind their ideas

Critical Thinking Lessons and Activities

11 Activities that Promote Critical Thinking in the Class

We have compiled a list of 11 activities that will facilitate you to promote critical thinking abilities in the students. We have also covered problem solving activities that enhance student’s interest in our another article. Click here to read it.

1. Worst Case Scenario

Divide students into teams and introduce each team with a hypothetical challenging scenario. Allocate minimum resources and time to each team and ask them to reach a viable conclusion using those resources. The scenarios can include situations like stranded on an island or stuck in a forest. Students will come up with creative solutions to come out from the imaginary problematic situation they are encountering. Besides encouraging students to think critically, this activity will enhance teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills of the students.

Read our article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

2. If You Build It

It is a very flexible game that allows students to think creatively. To start this activity, divide students into groups. Give each group a limited amount of resources such as pipe cleaners, blocks, and marshmallows etc. Every group is supposed to use these resources and construct a certain item such as building, tower or a bridge in a limited time. You can use a variety of materials in the classroom to challenge the students. This activity is helpful in promoting teamwork and creative skills among the students.

It is also one of the classics which can be used in the classroom to encourage critical thinking. Print pictures of objects, animals or concepts and start by telling a unique story about the printed picture. The next student is supposed to continue the story and pass the picture to the other student and so on.

4. Keeping it Real

In this activity, you can ask students to identify a real-world problem in their schools, community or city. After the problem is recognized, students should work in teams to come up with the best possible outcome of that problem.

5. Save the Egg

Make groups of three or four in the class. Ask them to drop an egg from a certain height and think of creative ideas to save the egg from breaking. Students can come up with diverse ideas to conserve the egg like a soft-landing material or any other device. Remember that this activity can get chaotic, so select the area in the school that can be cleaned easily afterward and where there are no chances of damaging the school property.

6. Start a Debate

In this activity, the teacher can act as a facilitator and spark an interesting conversation in the class on any given topic. Give a small introductory speech on an open-ended topic. The topic can be related to current affairs, technological development or a new discovery in the field of science. Encourage students to participate in the debate by expressing their views and ideas on the topic. Conclude the debate with a viable solution or fresh ideas generated during the activity through brainstorming.

7. Create and Invent

This project-based learning activity is best for teaching in the engineering class. Divide students into groups. Present a problem to the students and ask them to build a model or simulate a product using computer animations or graphics that will solve the problem. After students are done with building models, each group is supposed to explain their proposed product to the rest of the class. The primary objective of this activity is to promote creative thinking and problem-solving skills among the students.

8. Select from Alternatives

This activity can be used in computer science, engineering or any of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) classes. Introduce a variety of alternatives such as different formulas for solving the same problem, different computer codes, product designs or distinct explanations of the same topic.

Form groups in the class and ask them to select the best alternative. Each group will then explain its chosen alternative to the rest of the class with reasonable justification of its preference. During the process, the rest of the class can participate by asking questions from the group. This activity is very helpful in nurturing logical thinking and analytical skills among the students.

9. Reading and Critiquing

Present an article from a journal related to any topic that you are teaching. Ask the students to read the article critically and evaluate strengths and weaknesses in the article. Students can write about what they think about the article, any misleading statement or biases of the author and critique it by using their own judgments.

In this way, students can challenge the fallacies and rationality of judgments in the article. Hence, they can use their own thinking to come up with novel ideas pertaining to the topic.

10. Think Pair Share

In this activity, students will come up with their own questions. Make pairs or groups in the class and ask the students to discuss the questions together. The activity will be useful if the teacher gives students a topic on which the question should be based.

For example, if the teacher is teaching biology, the questions of the students can be based on reverse osmosis, human heart, respiratory system and so on. This activity drives student engagement and supports higher-order thinking skills among students.

11. Big Paper – Silent Conversation

Silence is a great way to slow down thinking and promote deep reflection on any subject. Present a driving question to the students and divide them into groups. The students will discuss the question with their teammates and brainstorm their ideas on a big paper. After reflection and discussion, students can write their findings in silence. This is a great learning activity for students who are introverts and love to ruminate silently rather than thinking aloud.

Finally, for students with critical thinking, you can go to GS-JJ.co m to customize exclusive rewards, which not only enlivens the classroom, but also promotes the development and training of students for critical thinking.

Read our next article: 10 Innovative Strategies for Promoting Critical Thinking in the Classroom

Share this:

4 thoughts on “ 11 activities that promote critical thinking in the class ”.

• Pingback: What is Growth Mindset? 50+ Motivational Quotes on Growth Mindset - Educationise
• Pingback: 6 Steps To Implement Project-Based Learning In The Classroom - Educationise
• Pingback: Engaging Problem-Solving Activities That Spark Student Interest - Educationise

Thanks for the great article! Especially with the post-pandemic learning gap, these critical thinking skills are essential! It’s also important to teach them a growth mindset. If you are interested in that, please check out The Teachers’ Blog!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from educationise.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Creative Resources for ESL/EFL Teachers

20 Fun Discussion Questions for (Not Only) the ESL Classroom

I don’t know about your corner of the world, but here in Central Europe summer has arrived with full force. It’s scorching hot. I finally understand the 3-hour siesta they have in some countries. Who would want to move, or think in this heat? So I cut my students some slack, we play scrabble and have fun. The testing is over, the school term ends in a few days, field trips have been canceled because of Covid-19, there is not much left to do. And did I mention it’s boiling hot and our building doesn’t have AC? Right, so let’s have som fun.

This speaking activity contains 25 fun ESL discussion questions for teenagers and adult learners. (16+, B1+). It is best for small groups or as a pair-work.

The slideshow can be used as a resource for online teaching, just share your screen on Zoom or other app when teaching online. Click on the full screen option in the top right corner of the slideshow and your whole group can discuss or if you want to use the activity in smaller groups, assign your students into breakout rooms and send them the PDF with the discussion questions before your lesson. During the lesson, pop into the breakout rooms to listen in and observe.

1. What’s the closest thing to real magic?

2 .Who is the messiest person you know?

3. What will finally break the internet?

4. What’s the most useless talent you have?

5. Where is the worst smelling place you’ve been?

6. What celebrity would you rate as a perfect 10?

7. What’s a body part that you wouldn’t mind losing?

8. What is the dumbest way you’ve been injured?

9. Which fictional character would be the most boring to meet in real life?

10. What are the best and worst purchases you’ve ever made?

1. If you had to change your name, what would your new name be, and why would you choose that name?

2. What are some things that sound like compliments but are actually insults?

3. What’s your biggest screw up in the kitchen?

4. What’s the worst commercial you’ve recently seen? Why is it so bad?

5. What is the craziest thing one of your teachers has done?

6. When did you screw everything up, but no one ever found out it was you?

7. What elements of pop culture will be forever tied in your mind to your childhood?

8. If you could know the absolute and total truth to one question, what question would you ask?

9. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this week?

10 .What ridiculous thing has someone tricked you into doing or believing?

The questions for this activity are used with the kind permission of C.B. Daniels of  Conversation Starters World.

Other ESL resources:

Popular Conversation Topics for (not only) Adults and Teenagers: 50 Questions

Conversation Starters: 30 Interesting Conversation Questions Not Only For ESL Students

Conversation Questions Gerunds and Infinitives: ESL Speaking Activity

30 Hypothetical Conversation Questions for ESL Students

ESL Exam Speaking Picture Description and Questions

Related Posts

ESL Conversation Lesson: Game Of Thrones And Traveling

A fun ESL conversation lesson based on a short video on real life Game of Thrones locations. Discussion questions and a vocabulary matching exercise.

Modal Verbs Conversation Questions, Use, and Examples

Practice modal verbs with conversation questions, watch video explanation and study example sentences. What are modal verbs? According to Merriam-Webster, a modal verb is a verb (such as can, could, shall, should, ought to, will, or would) that is usually used with another verb to express ideas such as possibility, necessity, and…

Travel ESL Conversation Questions

This is an excellent speaking activity for students when engaged in a conversation about travel, as well as for adult students in any program or one-on-one lessons. Travel words on the list include – journey, flights, destination, trip, license, accommodation, backpacking, international, leisure, and countries. The free discussion worksheet for…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

85 Fun Critical Thinking Questions for Kids & Teens

Have you ever thought about using fun questions to practice critical thinking?

Students may need a little guidance to think their way through questions that lack straightforward answers.

But it is that process that is important!

How the Right Questions Encourage Critical Thinking

Every parent knows how natural it is for children to ask questions. 

It should be encouraged. After all, asking questions helps with critical thinking.

As they grow older, however, training them to answer questions can be equally beneficial.

Posing questions that encourage kids to analyze, compare, and evaluate information can help them develop their ability to think critically about tough topics in the future. 

Of course, critical thinking questions for kids need to be age-appropriate—even better if you can mix a little fun into it!

That’s what I hope to help you with today. I’ve organized the questions below into three different ages groups:

• Upper elementary
• Middle school
• High school 

Get a Question-Based Critical Thinking Exercise—Free!

Introduce critical thinking gently & easily with thought-provoking exercises.

Upper Elementary

Students in upper elementary grades can be reluctant to put themselves out there, especially with answers that seem weird. 

In some cases, such hesitancy is actually fear of differing from their peers (and a barrier to critical thinking ). 

But that’s exactly why it’s important to practice answering ambiguous questions. 

We want our children to stand firm for their beliefs—not cave to peer pressure. 

Additionally, students may feel uneasy about answering serious questions, uncertain of tackling “big” problems. 

However, with careful use of creative questions for kids, it’s possible to engage even the most reluctant children in this age group. 

The idea is to simply get them interested in the conversation and questions asked.

If you have an especially reserved student, try starting with the funny critical thinking questions. 

Humor is a natural icebreaker that can make critical thinking questions more lighthearted and enjoyable. 

Of course, most younger kids just like to be silly, so playing upon that can keep them active and engaged.

With that said, here are some great questions to get you started:

1. Someone gives you a penguin. You can’t sell it or give it away. What do you do with it?

2. What would it be like if people could fly?

3. If animals could talk, what question would you ask? 

4. If you were ice cream, what kind would you be and why?

5. Do you want to travel back in time? If yes, how far back would you go? If no, why not?

6. What could you invent that would help your family? 

7. If you could stay up all night, what would you do?

8. What does the man on the moon do during the day?

9. What makes something weird or normal? 

10. Can you describe the tastes “salty” and “sweet” without using those words?

11. What does it feel like to ride a rollercoaster?

12. What makes a joke funny?

13. What two items would you take if you knew you would be stranded on an island and why?

14. Do you have a favorite way of laughing?

15. What noise makes you cringe and cover your ears? Why?

16. If you could be the parent for the day, what would you do?

17. If you could jump into your favorite movie and change the outcome, which one would you pick and why?

18. If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do?

19. What makes a day “perfect”?

20. If you owned a store, what kind of products would you sell?

21. If your parents were your age, would you be friends with them?

22. Would you still like your favorite food if it tasted the same as always, but now had an awful smell?

23. What would you do if you forgot to put your shoes on before leaving home?

24. Who would you be if you were a cartoon character?

25. How many hot dogs do you think you could eat in one sitting?

26. If you could breathe under water, what would you explore?

27. At what age do you think you stop being a kid?

28. If you had springs in your legs, what would you be able to do?

29. Can you describe the color blue to someone if they’re blind?

Middle School

At this point, students start to acquire more complex skills and are able to form their own conclusions based on the information they’re given. 

However, we can’t expect deep philosophical debates with 12 and 13 year olds. 

That said, as parent-teachers, we can certainly begin using more challenging questions to help them examine and rationalize their thought processes. 

Browse the fun critical thinking questions below for students in this age range. 

You might be surprised to see how receptive middle school kids can be to such thought-provoking (yet still fun) questions .

30. What would happen if it really did rain cats and dogs?

31. What does it mean to be lucky?

32. If you woke up in the middle of a dream, where would you be?

33. Is it ever okay to lie? Why or why not?

34. If you were solely responsible for creating laws, what one law would you make?

35. What makes a person a good friend?

36. What do you think is the most important skill you can take into adulthood?

37. If you had to give up lunch or dinner, which would you choose? Why?

38. How much money would you need to be considered rich?

39. If you knew you wouldn’t get caught, would you cheat on a test?

40. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be?

41. What is your greatest strength? How is that an asset?

42. If you had an opportunity to visit the International Space Station, would you do it?

43. Is it better to keep the peace or speak your mind?

44. Imagine yourself as your favorite animal. How would you spend your day?

45. Would you be friends with someone who didn’t have the same values as you?

46. How much screen time do you think is too much?

47. Can you describe your favorite color without naming it?

48. If you suddenly became blind, would you see things differently?

49. Would you ever go skydiving?

50. Describe the time you were the happiest in your life. Why did this make you happy?

51. If you had a million dollars, what would you do?

52. If you had to move to a new city, would you change how you present yourself to others?

53. What do you need to do in order to be famous?

54. If you could rewrite the ending of your favorite book or movie, what changes would you make?

55. How would you tackle a huge goal?

56. How would you sell ice to an eskimo in Alaska successfully?

57. What makes you unique?

High School

Critical thinking takes on an entirely different role once students reach high school. 

At this age, they have a greater sense of right and wrong (and what makes things so) as well as a better understanding of the world’s challenges.

Guiding teens to delve deeper and contemplate such things is an important part of developing their reasoning and critical thinking skills. 

Whether it’s fun questions about hypothetical superpowers or tough critical thinking questions about life, older teens typically have what it takes to think their way to a logical conclusion . 

Of course, use your discernment as you choose discussion topics, but here are some questions to help get you started:

58. How can you avoid [common problem] in the future?

59. Do you think it’s okay to take a life in order to save 5, 10, 20 or more people?

60. If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?

61. Is it better to give or receive a gift?

62. How important is it to be financially secure? Why?

63. If it was up to you, what one rule would you change in your family?

64. What would you do if a group of friends wanted to do something that you thought was a bad idea?

65. How do you know that something is a fact rather than an opinion?

66. What would it take to get you to change your mind?

67. What’s the most important thing in your life?

68. If money were of no concern, what job would you choose and why?

69. How do you know if you’re happy?

70. Do you think euthanasia is moral?

71. What is something you can do today that you weren’t able to do a year ago?

72. Is social media a good thing or not?

73. Is it right to keep animals in a zoo?

74. How does your attitude affect your abilities?

75. What would you do if you found out a friend was doing something dangerous?

76. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Why?

77. What will life on Earth look like in 50 years?

78. Which is more important, ending world hunger or global warming?

79. Is it a good idea to lower the voting age to 16? Why or why not?

80. If the electrical power went out today, how would you cook if using wood wasn’t an option?

81. If you could magically transport yourself to any other place, where would that be and why?

82. When should teenagers be able to stay out all night?

83. Does the number zero actually exist?

84. What defines a generous person?

85. Does an influential person influence everyone?

Feel free to print out these fun critical thinking questions and incorporate them into your homeschool week!

will your children recognize truth?

About the author.

Jordan Mitchell

15 Questions that Teachers and Parents Can Ask Kids to Encourage Critical Thinking

By Maureen Leming

Each student walks across the graduation stage, diploma in one hand and a proverbial toolbox in the other. Inside the box is every skill and piece of knowledge they've learned throughout their childhood. The contents of this toolbox will be their building blocks to success beyond high school.

In addition to impressive classroom discoveries — like producing electricity from potatoes or building their own paper mache volcano — there's a vital skill every student should possess: critical thinking. They'll use this skill to assess, critique, and create, propelling them to thrive in the real world as they participate in engaging conversations and offer constructive solutions to real-world issues.

Fortunately, this valuable skill can be developed both inside and out of the classroom. Teachers and parents can encourage kids to think deeply and critically about the world by asking good questions. We'll explore why, as parents and teachers, the questions we ask our kids matter — and what we can be asking to help them excel.

How Questions Guide Young Students’ Critical Thinking 

Critical thinking is about so much more than simply knowing the facts. Thinking critically involves applying reason and logic to assess arguments and come to your own conclusions. Instead of reciting facts or giving a textbook answer, critical thinking skills encourage students to move beyond knowing information and get to the heart of what they really think and believe. 

15 Questions to Encourage Critical Thinking

What is one of the best ways to encourage critical thinking? By asking excellent questions! 

We have compiled a list of 15 questions that you, as a teacher or parent, can ask to encourage kids to think outside the box. Let's dive in.

1. How Do You Know This? 

Whether it was by word of mouth, classroom knowledge, or a news report, this question prompts students to consider whether their source of information is reputable.

2. How Would Your Perspective Be Different If You Were on the Opposing Side?

This question encourages kids to role-play from an opposing person’s viewpoint and discover a perspective outside their own so that they can better understand the broader situation. Extracurriculars like debate class — mandatory for all Hun middle school students — is a powerful way to accomplish this goal, as students must thoughtfully anticipate their opposition's arguments in order to counter them.

3. How Would You Solve This Problem?

Finding creative solutions to common problems is a valuable life skill. This question is the perfect opportunity to encourage young minds to wander!

4. Do You Agree or Disagree — and Why?

Choosing a side in any debate challenges students to consider both perspectives, weigh the arguments, and make an informed choice. 

5. Why? Why? Why?

Just like when you were a young kid, ask why repeatedly to push students beyond a simple first, second, or even third answer, to get to the real depth. Be careful, though, not to ask them to the point of frustration — you want learning and exploring to be a positive experience.

6. How Could We Avoid This Problem in the Future?

Ask students to apply critical thinking by analyzing how they could prevent a certain issue from reoccurring.

7. Why Does It Matter?

Whether they're learning about a historical event or a mathematical concept, it's important to understand why the topic is relevant today.

8. What's Another Way to Look at This Issue?

It can be easy to learn one worldview and automatically believe it is the only, or the best, way. Challenging kids to think of a creative alternate perspective encourages them to think more broadly.

9. Can You Give Me an Example?

Inventing an example, or pulling from experience to share a real one, is an excellent way to apply critical thinking skills.

10. How Could It Have Ended Differently?

It takes some innovation and careful analysis to storyboard a different ending, considering "what could have been" rather than "what is." 

11. When Will We Be Able to Tell If It Worked?

Kids will be pushed to consider what constitutes success and how it can be measured in scenarios where the results aren't set in stone.

12. Why did you ask that question?

Instead of answering a question at face value, this question encourages kids to think about what the merits of the question may be.

13. Who Would Be Affected by This?

Students as the next generation of leaders and game-changers. When making any decision, it's important to consider who will be impacted and how.

14. What Can This Story Teach Us About Our Own Lives?

From literature to social studies, students interact with all kinds of different stories. Help them take these narratives one step further by examining how it relates to their lives.

15. Why Is This a Problem?

Analyzing why something is a problem — rather than just accepting that it is — will help students develop strong problem-solving skills of their own.

The Hun School of Princeton Teaches Critical Thinking

At the Hun School of Princeton, our teachers ask these questions, and more, in combination with our student-centered learning approach that helps kids of all ages think critically about what they’re learning. 

As a premier private school in Princeton, NJ , we aim to help students think deeply and develop well-rounded skill sets through immersive, problem-based learning . 

Schedule a tour today to see our program in action!

Schedule a Tour

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

100 Last-Day-of-School Activities Your Students Will Love!

What Is Critical Thinking and Why Do We Need To Teach It?

Question the world and sort out fact from opinion.

The world is full of information (and misinformation) from books, TV, magazines, newspapers, online articles, social media, and more. Everyone has their own opinions, and these opinions are frequently presented as facts. Making informed choices is more important than ever, and that takes strong critical thinking skills. But what exactly is critical thinking? Why should we teach it to our students? Read on to find out.

What is critical thinking?

Source: Indeed

Critical thinking is the ability to examine a subject and develop an informed opinion about it. It’s about asking questions, then looking closely at the answers to form conclusions that are backed by provable facts, not just “gut feelings” and opinion. These skills allow us to confidently navigate a world full of persuasive advertisements, opinions presented as facts, and confusing and contradictory information.

The Foundation for Critical Thinking says, “Critical thinking can be seen as having two components: 1) a set of information and belief-generating and processing skills, and 2) the habit, based on intellectual commitment, of using those skills to guide behavior.”

In other words, good critical thinkers know how to analyze and evaluate information, breaking it down to separate fact from opinion. After a thorough analysis, they feel confident forming their own opinions on a subject. And what’s more, critical thinkers use these skills regularly in their daily lives. Rather than jumping to conclusions or being guided by initial reactions, they’ve formed the habit of applying their critical thinking skills to all new information and topics.

Why is critical thinking so important?

Imagine you’re shopping for a new car. It’s a big purchase, so you want to do your research thoroughly. There’s a lot of information out there, and it’s up to you to sort through it all.

• You’ve seen TV commercials for a couple of car models that look really cool and have features you like, such as good gas mileage. Plus, your favorite celebrity drives that car!
• The manufacturer’s website has a lot of information, like cost, MPG, and other details. It also mentions that this car has been ranked “best in its class.”
• Your neighbor down the street used to have this kind of car, but he tells you that he eventually got rid of it because he didn’t think it was comfortable to drive. Plus, he heard that brand of car isn’t as good as it used to be.
• Three independent organizations have done test-drives and published their findings online. They all agree that the car has good gas mileage and a sleek design. But they each have their own concerns or complaints about the car, including one that found it might not be safe in high winds.

So much information! It’s tempting to just go with your gut and buy the car that looks the coolest (or is the cheapest, or says it has the best gas mileage). Ultimately, though, you know you need to slow down and take your time, or you could wind up making a mistake that costs you thousands of dollars. You need to think critically to make an informed choice.

What does critical thinking look like?

Source: TeachThought

Let’s continue with the car analogy, and apply some critical thinking to the situation.

• Critical thinkers know they can’t trust TV commercials to help them make smart choices, since every single one wants you to think their car is the best option.
• The manufacturer’s website will have some details that are proven facts, but other statements that are hard to prove or clearly just opinions. Which information is factual, and even more important, relevant to your choice?
• A neighbor’s stories are anecdotal, so they may or may not be useful. They’re the opinions and experiences of just one person and might not be representative of a whole. Can you find other people with similar experiences that point to a pattern?
• The independent studies could be trustworthy, although it depends on who conducted them and why. Closer analysis might show that the most positive study was conducted by a company hired by the car manufacturer itself. Who conducted each study, and why?

Did you notice all the questions that started to pop up? That’s what critical thinking is about: asking the right questions, and knowing how to find and evaluate the answers to those questions.

Good critical thinkers do this sort of analysis every day, on all sorts of subjects. They seek out proven facts and trusted sources, weigh the options, and then make a choice and form their own opinions. It’s a process that becomes automatic over time; experienced critical thinkers question everything thoughtfully, with purpose. This helps them feel confident that their informed opinions and choices are the right ones for them.

Key Critical Thinking Skills

There’s no official list, but many people use Bloom’s Taxonomy to help lay out the skills kids should develop as they grow up.

Source: Vanderbilt University

Bloom’s Taxonomy is laid out as a pyramid, with foundational skills at the bottom providing a base for more advanced skills higher up. The lowest phase, “Remember,” doesn’t require much critical thinking. These are skills like memorizing math facts, defining vocabulary words, or knowing the main characters and basic plot points of a story.

Higher skills on Bloom’s list incorporate more critical thinking.

True understanding is more than memorization or reciting facts. It’s the difference between a child reciting by rote “one times four is four, two times four is eight, three times four is twelve,” versus recognizing that multiplication is the same as adding a number to itself a certain number of times. When you understand a concept, you can explain how it works to someone else.

When you apply your knowledge, you take a concept you’ve already mastered and apply it to new situations. For instance, a student learning to read doesn’t need to memorize every word. Instead, they use their skills in sounding out letters to tackle each new word as they come across it.

When we analyze something, we don’t take it at face value. Analysis requires us to find facts that stand up to inquiry. We put aside personal feelings or beliefs, and instead identify and scrutinize primary sources for information. This is a complex skill, one we hone throughout our entire lives.

Evaluating means reflecting on analyzed information, selecting the most relevant and reliable facts to help us make choices or form opinions. True evaluation requires us to put aside our own biases and accept that there may be other valid points of view, even if we don’t necessarily agree with them.

Finally, critical thinkers are ready to create their own result. They can make a choice, form an opinion, cast a vote, write a thesis, debate a topic, and more. And they can do it with the confidence that comes from approaching the topic critically.

How do you teach critical thinking skills?

The best way to create a future generation of critical thinkers is to encourage them to ask lots of questions. Then, show them how to find the answers by choosing reliable primary sources. Require them to justify their opinions with provable facts, and help them identify bias in themselves and others. Try some of these resources to get started.

• 5 Critical Thinking Skills Every Kid Needs To Learn (And How To Teach Them)
• 100+ Critical Thinking Questions for Students To Ask About Anything

10 Tips for Teaching Kids To Be Awesome Critical Thinkers

• Free Critical Thinking Poster, Rubric, and Assessment Ideas

More Critical Thinking Resources

The answer to “What is critical thinking?” is a complex one. These resources can help you dig more deeply into the concept and hone your own skills.

• The Foundation for Critical Thinking
• Cultivating a Critical Thinking Mindset (PDF)
• Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Browne/Keeley, 2014)

Have more questions about what critical thinking is or how to teach it in your classroom? Join the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to ask for advice and share ideas!

Plus, 12 skills students can work on now to help them in careers later ..

You Might Also Like

Help students dig deeper! Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

FOSTERING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN ESL READING COMPREHENSION THROUGH SOLO QUESTIONS

2019, International Journal of Management and Social Science

Malaysian students lacked the necessary skills to analyze reading texts to attain deep understanding as they became accustomed to recalling and recognizing skills only. Thus, the goal of this research is to examine the feasibility of SOLO (Structured of Observed Learning Outcomes) Taxonomy as the framework for designing questions that could foster higher order thinking skills in English as Second Language (ESL) reading comprehension. The methods comprised of pretests and posttests and concept maps. The results recorded students' improved performance in utilizing the reading comprehension strategies that demonstrated their abilities to think more critically. It was also discovered that the students needed more support to progress from multistructural level of thinking to relational level as they were inclined to remain consistent than reaching closure in providing their responses to SOLO questions. Thus, the major implication of this study is the need to maximize multistructural level by getting students to familiarize themselves with the process of generating ideas and exploring them. It was implied that lower level thinking responses might serve as early positive signs of critical thinking skills.

Related Papers

Sirhajwan Idek

he purpose of the research is to explore the use of SOLO taxonomy in ESL reading activities to facilitate students’ development of higher order thinking skills. The activities constructed based on the hierarchical SOLO taxonomy especially its learning verbs and levels which can assist students’ progress of thinking skills from lower order level to higher order thinking. A technology-based module has been developed for this intervention. The significance of this research is to identify a more effective approach in helping students acquire skills in English language reading and higher order thinking.

hamed barjesteh

The development of critical thinking (CT) skills has become a key goal for educators in first and second language contexts. There is evidence that the use of such activities has still not become widespread in a number of ELT situations. One reason for this may be lack of awareness about how levels of thinking can be conceptualized in ELT activities. It is argued that learners studying English for general purposes (EGP) have a particular need for activities which are not only linguistically manageable but also cognitively challenging. This paper reports on a program designed by the author at a university in Iran, which used taxonomy of CT skills drawn up by Facione (1990) to probe the effect of critical thinking strategies training on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL students. In so doing, 240 male and female Iranian EFL students were selected and screened into two proficiency levels based on the TOEFL tests. Each proficiency group was divided into critical and non-critical group...

Reza Vaseghi

There is a general consensus that critical thinking can be influential in almost every occupation due to its association with the abilities such as problem solving and decision making. This paper aims at probing the role of critical thinking (CT) skills on EFL learners' reading comprehension performance using Bloom's taxonomy. Therefore, the role of CT strategies training across two language proficiency levels, high & low, was investigated. Then the difference between females and males regarding their CT was studied. In so doing, 240 male and female Iranian EFL students were selected and screened into two proficiency levels based on the Longman preparation course for TOEFL test. Each proficiency group was divided into critical and non-critical group. The results suggested CT skills significantly affected EFL learners’ reading comprehension performance. However, the effect of critical thinking strategy training didn’t vary across different language proficiency levels. Overall...

Advances in Asian …

Reza Gholami

Considering the substantial roles of EFL/ESL reading comprehension and critical thinking skills, it can be noted that these two variables are required for students to succeed in academic English settings. This paper aims at reviewing the various pedagogical approaches and theories in critical thinking, reading comprehension and critical reading. It also highlights the significance of critical thinking in reading instruction by describing the major aspects of critical thinking that could be most effective to learners’reading comprehension performance. Finally, it examines the related theoretical and empirical studies in line with the goal of this study.

THE EFFECT OF EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION IN CRITICAL THINKING ON HIGHER-ORDER THINKING SKILLS IN READING COMPREHENSION: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

El Hassan Rouijel

This study investigates whether the explicit instruction of critical thinking skills can impact students' ability to use higher-order thinking skills in reading comprehension. It particularly focuses on the instruction of critical thinking in its evaluative dimension and measures the impact on the development of three thinking skills, namely understanding, analyzing and evaluating. The EFL preparatory class students in the experimental group (n=27) were trained in using two of these skills for reading comprehension whereas those in the control group (n=29) took their normal classes. The results show that the experimental group significantly improved between the pre-and post-tests and outperformed their control counterparts. These results confirm the hypothesis claiming that high-order thinking skills are teachable. However, the results report that higher-order thinking skills develop independently of lower-order ones.

Language Circle: Journal of Language and Literature

Ervina Juli Aryani

The significance of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) has led many educational stakeholders to include the skill in educational curriculum and more specifically in the subjects that students learn. In the context of learning English, HOTS should be instilled in four language skills, especially reading skill. This skill is vital since students are demanded to be critical of what they read. Therefore, this research aimed at investigating how the reading comprehension questions in English textbooks for three different grades (X, XI, and XII) published by the Ministry of Education and Culture facilitate HOTS. By employing cognitive level of Bloom’s revised taxonomy (2001) and critical thinking task type of Numrich’s sequence (Beaumont, 2010), the questions are analyzed qualitatively. The results reveal that HOTS are realized adequately in the textbook for grade XI. In the textbooks for grade X and XII, HOTS are found in small quantity. Besides, based on Numrich’s sequence, the majorit...

Yetti Zainil

This paper presents the discussion on the teachers' reading comprehension questions in EFL classrooms of Senior High Schools in Padang. Higher-order thinking skill has become a significant theme in education. However, to what extent EFL teachers have applied it, does not clearly define yet. In the English language learning process, the students are encouraged to think critically. Therefore, teachers are required to provide the students with higher-order thinking skill, especially in reading comprehension. The higher level of reading comprehension questions can facilitate students' higher-order thinking skills. Many studies have revealed that the level of teacher questions determines the level of thinking of students. However, until now, most of the questions asked by teachers in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) were low-level questions. Those questions were not as effective as high-level questions in helping students develop high-level thinking skills. Ther...

Theory and Practice in Language Studies

lotfollah Karimi

Hamed Barjesteh

ELT Worldwide: Journal of English Language Teaching

Teguh Sarosa

Higher order thinking skill (HOTS) is an important outcome standard of higher education in any discipline. Accordingly, English language textbook should present higher order thinking questions to promote students’ higher order thinking skill. The aim of this research is to analyze the extent to which the higher order thinking skill (HOTS) and the indicators of reading skill are assessed in the reading comprehension exercises. This research used the descriptive analytical method of research, which refers to content analysis. The data are analyzed based on revised Bloom’s taxonomy and reading skill indicators. The findings reveal that: (1) HOTS in the reading comprehension exercises questions only includes analyzing skill and evaluating skill while creating skill is not found; and (2) the indicators of reading skill are not fully assessed from the questions in the reading comprehension exercises in English language textbook for twelfth grade students by Indonesian Ministry of Educatio...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

Maryam Fouladi

English Language Teaching

Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies

Malaysian Journal of Society and Space

randip valdev

Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies

Masoomeh Estaji

Abdelmajid Bouziane

Journal of Language Teaching and Research

irLIT2016 Conf. , Amir Mazinani

Farhad Ghorbandordinejad

Zahraa Fadlallah

lalida wiboonwachara

Saeed Ghaniabadi

Revista Científica del Amazonas

Henry Alberto Álvarez Guayara

Ahmad Modaberi

Teaching English Language

Frontiers in Education

Musharraf Aziz

JRSP-ELT - Journal for Research Scholars and Professionals of English Language Teaching

santi widiati

Humaniora Vol 31, No 1, February

Jurnal Humaniora

MejaBundar Channel

Arab World English Journal

sabah sabbah

Moosa Ahmed H A S S A N Bait Ali Sulaiman

International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning

arman nasirahmadi

Journal of Languages and Language Teaching

sri raudhatunnisa

Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Languages and Arts (ICLA-2019)

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Information

• Author Services

Initiatives

You are accessing a machine-readable page. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.

All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited. For more information, please refer to https://www.mdpi.com/openaccess .

Feature papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. A Feature Paper should be a substantial original Article that involves several techniques or approaches, provides an outlook for future research directions and describes possible research applications.

Feature papers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and must receive positive feedback from the reviewers.

Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world. Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularly interesting to readers, or important in the respective research area. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting work published in the various research areas of the journal.

Original Submission Date Received: .

• Active Journals
• Find a Journal
• Proceedings Series
• For Authors
• For Reviewers
• For Editors
• For Librarians
• For Publishers
• For Societies
• For Conference Organizers
• Open Access Policy
• Institutional Open Access Program
• Special Issues Guidelines
• Editorial Process
• Research and Publication Ethics
• Article Processing Charges
• Testimonials
• Preprints.org
• SciProfiles
• Encyclopedia

Article Menu

• Subscribe SciFeed
• Recommended Articles
• Google Scholar
• on Google Scholar
• Table of Contents

Find support for a specific problem in the support section of our website.

Please let us know what you think of our products and services.

Visit our dedicated information section to learn more about MDPI.

JSmol Viewer

Examining relationships between technology and critical thinking: a study of south korean efl learners.

1. Introduction

2. literature review, the impact of technology on ct, 3. research questions.

• How are attitudes about technology and perceived tech behaviors related to attitudes about critical thinking? What implications may these relationships have for pedagogy in foreign language learning contexts?
• What insights do students have concerning the influence of technology on critical thinking? What applications may these insights have for pedagogy in foreign language learning contexts?

4. Materials and Methods

4.1. instruments, 4.2. participants, 4.3. procedure.

• Nationality.
• How does technology help with critical thinking and/or English learning at your school?
• How does technology make your critical thinking and/or English learning more difficult at your school?

5. Results and Discussion

5.1. rq1: the relationship of technology and critical thinking, 5.2. rq2: the influence of technology on critical thinking, 5.2.1. technology for understanding, resources, and different perspectives.

Technology helps us to access other’s opinions or thinking process so that we could know that there are various ways to think of a specific topic. As an example, political opinions could be seen everywhere, which helps not make individuals biased.

For example, social media sites and online platforms offer forums for discussion, brainstorming, and idea exchange. These online forums allow users to have fruitful discussions, test presumptions, and consider many viewpoints, which can help people develop their critical thinking skills.

5.2.2. Tech Has Merely Changed the Way We Critically Think

Because of covid, most of English courses turned out to be online classes. Critical thinking was challenged and opened out during this transformation. Students have to get used to new teaching methods and interact with online tools. In order to navigate online resources, assess the reliability of digital sources, and take part in online debates and collaborative activities, critical thinking skills are a necessity. I don’t think it affected that much but just changed the way of doing critical thinking.

5.2.3. Bad Online Habits Leading to Less Critical Thinking

I personally believe technology prevents students from critical thinking. Whenever I am stuck with a question, I prefer to search online rather than think about a single question for half an hour.

I believe technology is making our critical thinking more difficult. The invention of the smartphone is leading people to digital addiction, the social media in it is making people biased, and the ChatGPT that came along recently is causing people to think less when utilizing the information they searched.

5.2.4. Cognitive Changes

It is much easier to find the information that you want since it gives the answer right away. So the time you spend searching for information is reduced by a lot. However, as I’m thinking less time evaluating information, I feel that I am forgetting the information I found very quickly.

Technology such as the internet may certainly help with critical thinking, but I think it interferes with critical thinking in most cases. For example, let’s say you read a novel. We can get information on what this novel means on the Internet and what the author thinks. However, when we look at the information, we can no longer see the novel from our subjective perspective. I think that the human brain, which has adapted to a particular perspective, no longer tries to think critically from various perspectives.

5.2.5. AI Is a “Robber” of CT Skills

AI does not help with critical thinking because it gives us the answer and does not give us the chance to think critically by ourselves.

As I mentioned above, AI makes it more difficult for students to think critically because it provides all the information and ideas they need to think independently. For example, when ChatGPT was first introduced, I searched for the script for the presentation with my friend, and it gave a whole script. Creating a script requires a lot of time because you must write it considering the time, length, topic, and readers’ reactions. However, thanks to(? Due to) GPT, we did not need to spend much time. It robs the opportunity to think about the whole structure of the presentation and write it ourselves. Therefore, the tech does not help our critical thinking.

It disrupts our critical thinking. Many students use it when organizing their essay outline, and I think the most critical process of an essay is outlining because it requires you critical thinking and organizing skill.

6. Conclusions

Institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

• I have a clear idea about what the term ‘critical thinking’ means.
• Learning critical thinking is an important part of my studies as a student
• Teachers provide training in critical thinking in many courses.
• It is not necessary to increase the role of critical thinking in the curriculum.
• It is not the job of the teacher to teach critical thinking in the classroom.
• Critical thinking is especially important in foreign language learning.
• I need more instruction from teachers on how to develop critical thinking skills.
• It will help me get better results in my subjects.
• It will help me understand the subject material more deeply.
• It will improve my IT/information management skills in general.
• It will improve my career or employment prospects in the long term.
• I get more actively involved in courses that use technology.
• I am more likely to skip classes when materials from course lectures are available online.
• Technology makes me feel connected to other students.
• Tablets/laptops in class improve my engagement with the content and class.
• Al-Wasy, B.Q. The effectiveness of integrating technology in EFL/ESL writing: A meta-analysis. Interact. Technol. Smart Educ. 2020 , 17 , 435–454. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Chen, T. Technology-supported peer feedback in ESL/EFL writing classes: A research synthesis. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2016 , 29 , 365–397. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Cuocci, S.; Fattahi Marnani, P.; Khan, I.; Roberts, S. A Meta-Synthesis of Technology-Supported Peer Feedback in ESL/EFL Writing Classes Research: A Replication of Chen’s Study. Languages 2023 , 8 , 114. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Hebebci, M.T.; Bertiz, Y.; Alan, S. Investigation of views of students and teachers on distance education practices during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Int. J. Technol. Educ. Sci. 2020 , 4 , 267–282. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Moorhouse, B.L. Teachers’ professional digital competence after a period of online teaching: The case of Hong Kong primary school English-language teachers. Asia Pac. Educ. Rev. 2023 , 1–10. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Winter, E.; Costello, A.; O’Brien, M.; Hickey, G. Teachers’ use of technology and the impact of Covid-19. Ir. Educ. Stud. 2021 , 40 , 235–246. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Seyyedrezaei, M.S.; Amiryousefi, M.; Gimeno-Sanz, A.; Tavakoli, M. A meta-analysis of the relative effectiveness of technology-enhanced language learning on ESL/EFL writing performance: Retrospect and prospect. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2022 , 1–34. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Goldberg, A.; Russell, M.; Cook, A. The effect of computers on student writing: A meta-analysis of studies from 1992 to 2002. J. Technol. Learn. Assess. 2003 , 2 , 1–52. Available online: http://www.jtla.org (accessed on 20 May 2024).
• Li, J. The mediation of technology in ESL writing and its implications for writing assessment. Assess. Writ. 2006 , 11 , 5–21. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Renandya, W.A.; Ivone, F.M.; Hidayati, M. Harnessing the power of technology in ELT. J. Stud. Engl. Lang. 2023 , 18 , 143–160. Available online: https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jsel/article/view/268591 (accessed on 5 May 2024).
• Golonka, E.M.; Bowles, A.R.; Frank, V.M.; Richardson, D.L.; Freynik, S. Technologies for foreign language learning: A review of technology types and their effectiveness. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2014 , 27 , 70–105. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Negoescu, A.G. The value of critical thinking in the language classroom. Land Forces Acad. Rev. 2023 , 28 , 303–308. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Shadiev, R.; Yang, M. Review of studies on technology-enhanced language learning and teaching. Sustainability 2020 , 12 , 524. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Monash University. What Is Critical Thinking? 2022. Available online: https://www.monash.edu/student-academic-success/enhance-your-thinking/critical-thinking/what-is-critical-thinking (accessed on 17 March 2024).
• Abrami, P.C.; Bernard, R.M.; Borokhovski, E.; Wade, A.; Surkes, M.A.; Tamim, R.; Zhang, D. Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta-analysis. Rev. Educ. Res. 2008 , 78 , 1102–1134. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Hannafin, M.J.; Land, S.M. The foundations and assumptions of technology-enhanced student-centered learning environments. Instr. Sci. 1997 , 25 , 167–202. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Liaw, M.L. Content-based reading and writing for critical thinking skills in an EFL context. Engl. Teach. Learn. 2007 , 31 , 45–87. [ Google Scholar ]
• Bağ, H.K.; Gürsoy, E. The effect of critical thinking embedded English course design to the improvement of critical thinking skills of secondary school learners. Think. Ski. Creat. 2021 , 41 , 1–13. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Al-Jarf, R. What ESL teachers should know about online writing tasks. ELTAM J. 2014 , 1 , 47–54. [ Google Scholar ]
• Hsieh, Y.C. A case study of the dynamics of scaffolding among ESL learners and online resources in collaborative learning. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2017 , 30 , 115–132. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Nussbaum, M.; Barahona, C.; Rodriguez, F.; Guentulle, V.; Lopez, F.; Vazquez-Uscanga, E.; Cabezas, V. Taking critical thinking, creativity and grit online. Educ. Technol. Res. Dev. 2021 , 69 , 201–206. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Yoon, C. Individual differences in online reference resource consultation: Case studies of Korean ESL graduate writers. J. Second. Lang. Writ. 2016 , 32 , 67–80. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Awada, G.; Burston, J.; Ghannage, R. Effect of student team achievement division through WebQuest on EFL students’ argumentative writing skills and their instructors’ perceptions. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2020 , 33 , 275–300. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Ebadi, S.; Rahimi, M. An exploration into the impact of WebQuest-based classroom on EFL learners’ critical thinking and academic writing skills: A mixed-methods study. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. 2018 , 31 , 617–651. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Shanmugasundaram, M.; Tamilarasu, A. The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: A review. Front. Cogn. 2023 , 2 , 1203077. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Porter, A. The Problem with Technology in Schools. The Washington Post, 28 January 2013. Available online: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-problem-with-technology-in-schools/2013/01/28/cf13dc6c-6963-11e2-ada3-d86a4806d5ee_blog.html (accessed on 29 August 2020).
• Menichelli, M.; Braccini, A.M. Millennials, information assessment, and social media: An exploratory study on the assessment of critical thinking habits. In Exploring Digital Ecosystems: Organizational and Human Challenges ; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; pp. 85–97. [ Google Scholar ]
• Kraner, D. Digital culture and critical thinking through reading habits. In Proceedings of the International Interdisciplinary Scientific Conference: Readers and Reading in the Digital Age, Zagreb, Croatia, 11 November 2021; pp. 104–105. [ Google Scholar ]
• OECD. PISA 2018 Insight and Interpretations ; OECD: Paris, France, 2018; pp. 1–64. [ Google Scholar ]
• Jeon, J.; Lee, S. Large language models in education: A focus on the complementary relationship between human teachers and ChatGPT. Educ. Inf. Technol. 2023 , 28 , 15873–15892. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Liu, G.; Ma, C. Measuring EFL learners’ use of ChatGPT in informal digital learning of English based on the technology acceptance model. Innov. Lang. Learn. Teach. 2024 , 18 , 125–138. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Özdemir-Çağatay, S. Examining the use of ChatGPT in language teaching: Teachers’ experiences and perceptions. In Transforming the Language Teaching Experience in the Age of AI ; IGI Global: Hershey, PA, USA, 2023; pp. 1–24. [ Google Scholar ]
• Nguyen, A.; Hong, Y.; Dang, B.; Huang, X. Human-AI collaboration patterns in AI-assisted academic writing. Stud. High. Educ. 2024 , 1–18. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Urban, M.; Děchtěrenko, F.; Lukavský, J.; Hrabalová, V.; Svacha, F.; Brom, C.; Urban, K. ChatGPT improves creative problem-solving performance in university students: An experimental study. Comput. Educ. 2024 , 215 , 1–15. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Creswell, J.W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches , 3rd ed.; Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2009. [ Google Scholar ]
• Zhang, M. A survey of English majors’ attitudes towards critical thinking. Athens J. Humanit. Arts 1985 , 9 , 27–48. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Das, A.K.; Mishra, S. Questionnaire on learner use of technology. In Technology-Enabled Learning Implementation Handbook ; Kirkwood, A., Price, L., Eds.; Commonwealth of Learning: Burnaby, BC, Canada, 2016; pp. 59–67. [ Google Scholar ]
• Braun, V.; Clarke, V. One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qual. Res. Psychol. 2021 , 18 , 328–352. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Braun, V.; Clarke, V. Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide ; SAGE Publications Ltd.: London, UK, 2021. [ Google Scholar ]
• Byrne, D. A worked example of Braun and Clarke’s approach to reflexive thematic analysis. Qual. Quant. 2022 , 56 , 1391–1412. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• DeCoito, I.; Richardson, T. Teachers and technology: Present practice and future directions. Contemp. Issues Technol. Teach. Educ. 2018 , 18 , 362–378. Available online: https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/180395/ (accessed on 4 May 2024).
• Voogt, J.; Fisser, P.; Roblin, N.P.; Tondeur, J.; van Braak, J. Technological pedagogical content knowledge–a review of the literature. J. Comput. Assist. Lang. Learn. (JCAL) 2012 , 29 , 1–13. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]
• Brown, H.D. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching , 5th ed.; Pearson Longman: London, UK, 2007. [ Google Scholar ]
• Purpura, J.E. An analysis of the relationships between test takers’ cognitive and metacognitive strategy use and second language test performance. Lang. Learn. 1997 , 47 , 289–325. [ Google Scholar ] [ CrossRef ]

Share and Cite

Schenck, A. Examining Relationships between Technology and Critical Thinking: A Study of South Korean EFL Learners. Educ. Sci. 2024 , 14 , 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060652

Schenck A. Examining Relationships between Technology and Critical Thinking: A Study of South Korean EFL Learners. Education Sciences . 2024; 14(6):652. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060652

Schenck, Andrew. 2024. "Examining Relationships between Technology and Critical Thinking: A Study of South Korean EFL Learners" Education Sciences 14, no. 6: 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060652

Article Metrics

Article access statistics, further information, mdpi initiatives, follow mdpi.

Subscribe to receive issue release notifications and newsletters from MDPI journals