Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills through Close Reading Case Study: Third Year EFL Students at the University of Laghouat

Abstract

This research attempts to investigate the role of close reading in fostering critical thinking skills for foreign language students at Ammar Thelidji University. The study aims to bring to light an underlying issue which is the struggle of students with lower order of thinking and poor critical thinking skills; consequently, they face difficulties when performing at class as well as in real-world situations. In this regard, an analytical descriptive method was adopted through administrating a questionnaire to twenty third year students. The obtained findings from the interpretation of the received data yield that students are weak in applying effective critical thinking skills; besides, they lack the appropriate close reading strategies as they read. These results do not fully validate the research hypothesis which entails that close reading can enhance students’ critical thinking skills, inasmuch as students remain dependent in their thinking only on available sources of knowledge and receiving the information without questioning it. Accordingly, it is recommended to implement the adequate close reading strategies at classes and to continuously provide motivation and inspiration to students in order to prepare them to become successful critical thinkers in a reasonable timeframe