The development of EFL pre-service teachers’ critical thinking in teaching practicum: a case study

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the development of critical thinking skills among EFL pre-service teachers during their teaching practicum. The participants comprised three pre-service EFL teachers, belonging to a teaching practicum group that included one university supervisor and three middle school mentors. Data were collected through video recordings of group meetings conducted during the practicum and interviews with the pre-service teachers. Analysis of the data revealed a gradual development of critical thinking among the pre-service teachers over the course of the teaching practicum. They attributed this development to several factors, including the guidance provided by the university supervisor and middle school mentors, peer communication, and the practice of evaluation during the practicum. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of the analysis, offering insights for teacher education programmes aiming to foster critical thinking skills among pre-service teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical thinking
• teaching practicum
• pre-service teachers
• EFL

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval statement

Before the commencement of the study, an ethical review was conducted and approved by the author’s school and consent was sought from the participants. Throughout the research, the participants were kept anonymous and were assured that the information they provided would be kept confidential.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Social Sciences, Ministry of Education, PRC under Grant [21YJA740022].