THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES IN TEACHING SPEAKING
Abstract
Critical thinking activities are crucial in elevating students’ speaking skills and encouraging analysis, reasoning, problem-solving, and creativity. These activities are helpful for many students who struggle with expressing their ideas clearly and engaging in meaningful conversations. This article aims to define the concept of “critical thinking” and to discuss the role of critical thinking in the development of speaking skills. It explores the relationship between critical thinking and speaking, emphasizing how essential strategies of thinking contribute to improving fluency, coherence, and engagement. In addition, it includes a literature review examining previous studies on the impact of critical thinking in language learning, presents a detailed research methodology, and discusses various critical thinking activities that can be integrated into speaking lessons. The paper highlights the benefits and challenges teachers and students face while implementing these activities and provides recommendations for educators to overcome obstacles in fostering students’ critical thinking in speaking.
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