Teachers’ Perceptions and Instructional Practices Regarding the Effects of Social, Discursive and Textual Practices on Students’ Development of Critical Thinking: Applying CDA Approach in EFL Classrooms

Abstract

Teachers have a crucial role in EFL education in fostering critical thinking skills among learners. The current research delves into investigating teachers’ use of discursive, textual, and social practices in developing critical thinking skills in EFL students. In doing so, the authors employed a parallel convergent mixed methods design, selecting 30 Translation-major students who were enrolled in reading comprehension course at Applied Scientific University (Rad) in Tehran, Participants were chosen through criterion sampling for the study. All individuals completed a modified version of a questionaire, and teachers were interviewed using a semi-structured format to discuss their perceptions and practices related to CDA-based instruction. Additionally, researchers observed four classes to gain insight into the actual classroom practices. The data analysis results were triangulated, and the findings showed that using CDA can contribute to the development of students’ critical thinking by promoting awareness of language as a social construct, enhancing critical reading comprehension skills, and encouraging critical reflection and discussion. The findings are useful for syllabus designers, EFL instructors, policy-makers, and materials developers to enhance the existing English language teaching curricula by giving greater consideration to CDA instruction.