Prolegomena & Rationale for Critical Thinking Implementation

Abstract

The possibilities of developing critical thinking (CT) skills during English language lessons are part of a larger research endeavor aiming to bring CT enhanced instruction closer to EFL teachers in the Czech Republic and to reintroduce methodology that is both easy to use and effective. The authors recognize that the current discourse on the much needed reform of the Czech educational system has a tough time agreeing on its exact talking points and establishing priorities; yet, the development of critical thinking skills in students across the public education system certainly seems to be one of the less controversial. In the current era of fast and often deceptive news, the ability to make sense of the world and work through the informational overload to reach independent conclusions becomes especially relevant to the education of the future leaders of society. This paper presents a short re-introduction to the topic as well as maps the easiest current entrypoints for educators aiming to boost their reach.