A Presentation on Critical thinking. I gave this presentation during a conference in Oujda, Morocco. (April, 2012.)

1. …So, What’s Critical
Thinking, Anyway?
by: Abdelmjid Seghir

2. Plan
April 12th, 2012am.seghir@gmail.com
What is Critical Thinking?
What do educators think of critical
thinking?
Why Critical Thinking?
How to integrate critical thinking in
the ESL/EFL classroom.
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

3. Bla bla bluu?
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

4. What is critical thinking?
Critical
thinking
“Disciplined,
self-directed
thinking . . . ”
“ (Thinking) . . .
which exemplifies
the perfections of
thinking. . .”*
“The intellectually
disciplined
process of actively and
skillfully
conceptualizing,
applying, analyzing,
synthesizing,
and evaluating
information.”
“Critical thinking
is the art of
analyzing and
evaluating
thinking with a
view to improving
it.”
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

5. What do educators think?
 “I think critical thinking is really important because it teaches us how to think,
judge and express ourselves and our opinions. It's about understanding and
not memorizing. One way of teaching this is stories.” (Nadeen, Damascus,
Syria)
 “We need to think critically to find new solutions that benefit all of humanity
and not just a select few.” (Darleana, California, USA)
 “I never understood why we felt we only share critical thinking with gifted and
talented. All children must learn to take on a problem and find a solution. I
work hard in developing Bloom's Taxonomy.” (Robert, Oklahoma, USA)
 "There is a need today for us teachers to provide opportunities in the
classroom to see students express themselves...away from "saying what we
want as teachers". We have to motivate them to THINK, and to do it ,
critically. This comes after having observed, analyzed and evaluated
"information" we teachers offer them to work with. It is important to bear in
mind that whatever they say, it is the result of their own knowledge, beliefs,
experience in the topic...." and their final output is the result of their critical
thinking..( whether we like it or not ) it is the gift that we are after… that
student has spoken "his/her" mind." (Hildegard M. Chile)
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

6. Critical thinking in everyday
language
am.seghir@gmail.com
“Thinking
outside the
box”
“Thinking
about
thinking”
“Unlimited
thinking”
“Divergent
thinking”
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

7. The 8 elements of thought:
 Point of view
 Purpose
 Questions at issue
 Implications and consequences
 Information
 Interpretation and Inference
 Concepts
 Assumptions
*The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking: Concepts and Tools, 5 ed. The Foundation for Critical Thinking, 2008.
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

8. The 8 elements of
thought
Point of view
• Frames of
reference
• Perspectives
• Orientations
Purpose
What are the
goals and
objectives?
Questions
at issue
What
questions
should be
asked?
Implications and
consequences
What does this
imply?
What are its
consequences?
am.seghir@gmail.com http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

9. Information
What is the
main piece of
information
given?
Interpretation
and Inference
How do I
interpret the
piece of
information?
Concepts
What
concepts are
present in this
piece of
information?
Assumptions
What are the
assumptions I
should make?
am.seghir@gmail.com April 12th, 2012

10. Why Critical Thinking?
 “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates
 “I think, therefore I am.” Descartes
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

11. How to integrate critical thinking in the
EFL classroom.
am.seghir@gmail.com
Fact or opinion
Logic puzzle
Chess
Picture dominoes

12. am.seghir@gmail.com
Problem solving
Discussions, games, projects…

13. Group work and hands
on activities
am.seghir@gmail.com

14. Experiential learning
am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

15. In a nutshell
am.seghir@gmail.com April 12th, 2012
☀“Critical thinking is
the exact opposite of
uncritical thinking,
which is the exact
synonym of being
stupid!”
Abdelmjid Seghir

16. 13 July 2013am.seghir@gmail.com April 12th, 2012
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl

17. Am.seghir@gmail.com
http://www.wix.com/amseghir/efl
Abdelmjid Seghir
@AmSeghir