Critical thinking in English as a foreign language instruction : an interview-based study of five upper secondary school teachers in Sweden

Abstract: This study examines five English teachers’ attitudes towards critical thinking (CT) and methods of assessment in English as a foreign language (EFL) in Sweden’s upper secondary school. Through the use of interviews and policy document analysis, it is uncovered how the teachers interpret critical thinking, how they report on supporting students’ abilities and how they report on assessing critical thinking in relation to the policy documents. Equivalent to previous studies conducted by researchers within similar scopes, the results show teachers operating around a limited definition of CT. In regards to supporting students CT abilities, the teachers reported on using student-centered pedagogies and formative assessment in order to stimulate students’ CT abilities. The results of the interviews revealed that the teachers lacked a concrete methodology for assessing CT. The study concludes with implications for further research on the more concrete aspects of CT instruction, how teachers truly operate as well as investigation on the effects of CT instruction at teacher training programmes.