Integrating Critical Thinking in an English Speaking Coursebook Speak Now 1 : A Bloom’s Taxonomy-Based Evaluation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v12i3.16091Keywords:
Critical Thinking, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Speaking, Cognitive Domains.Abstract
This study evaluates the integration of critical thinking skills in the Speak Now 1 English coursebook, specifically in the context of the STBA JIA Basic Speaking course. A mixed-method approach was employed, including qualitative content analysis of 32 speaking activities and a quantitative survey analysis involving 41 students. The speaking activities were analyzed using the revised Bloom's Taxonomy to determine the cognitive domains involved and the questionnaire was gauged students’ views on the integration of critical thinking through frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that all six cognitive domains were present in the coursebook with “understanding†accounting for the largest percentage, followed by “applyingâ€, and “creating†and the least prevalent domains were “evaluating†and “analyzingâ€. Meanwhile, students displayed positive perceptions of incorporating critical thinking into the coursebook. However, the study found that the cognitive domains of speaking activities were not structured hierarchically according to a hierarchical system of the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and that higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) were underutilized. The study suggests that teachers could equip the coursebook with additional tasks targeting “analyzing†and “evaluating†domains and it highlights the importance of balancing cognitive domains in speaking coursebooks in order to promote critical thinking skills in speaking classes.
References
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Ahmed, M. K. (2018). Pedagogy in speaking: Challenges addressed by teacher-student in the ESL context. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 7(3), 97–107.
Aksoy, E. (2022). Content analysis method in educational research. 7(4), 275–280.
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
Cambridge. (n.d.). The Cambridge Life Competencies Framework Introductory Guide for Teachers and Educational Managers.
Chaffee, J. (2012). Thinking critically (Vol. 10). Cengage Learning.
Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Heinemann.
Dummett, P., & Hughes, J. (2021). Critical Thinking in ELT: A Working Model for the Classroom. In EFLIJ (Vol. 1).
Elango, P., & Kumaravel, R. (2022). A content analysis approach in educational research: A conceptual framework. Journal of Education and Practice, 13(6), 19–27.
Es-Salhi, A., & Elfatihi, M. (2019). Critical thinking: What is it? . Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society, 1–11.
Facione, P. A. (2011). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Measured Reasons and the California Academic Press.
Fakhrillah, A. R., & Suharyadi, S. (2025). Evaluating Hots and Lots in ‘English for Nusantara’: A Content Analysis af A Grade VII English Textbook. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 13(2), 515. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v13i2.13391
Gandeel, A. M. (2016). English language teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding the teaching of speaking. University of Leeds.
Goodarzi, A., Weisi, H., & Yousofi, N. (2020). Newly-published English course books under microscope: An exploration of teachers’ views about the Prospect series. Cogent Education, 7(1), 1840958.
Haghi, E. B. (2013). Evaluation of English Results Course Books at Upper-Intermediate Level. Journal on English Language Teaching, 3(3), 32–40.
Halpern, D. F. (2003). Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking (4th ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Katemba, C. V, & Grace, R. M. (2023). Role-Playing Improves Speaking Proficiency Skills. Acuity: Journal of English Language Pedagogy, Literature, and Culture, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.35974/acuity.v8i2.3153
Latif, R., Mumtaz, S., Mumtaz, R., & Hussain, A. (2018). A comparison of debate and role play in enhancing critical thinking and communication skills of medical students during problem based learning. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 46(4), 336–342. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21124
Lincoln, D., & Kearney, M. L. (2019). Promoting critical thinking in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 44(5), 799–800.
McGrath, I. (2006). Teachers’ and learners’ images for coursebooks. ELT Journal, 60(2), 171–180.
Mishan, F., & Timmis, I. (2015). Materials Development for TESOL Series Editors: Joan Cutting and Fiona Farr.
Muhammadiyeva, H., Mahkamova, D., Valiyeva3, S., & Tojiboyev, I. (2020). The role of critical thinking in developing speaking skills. International Journal on Integrated Education, 3(1), 62–64.
Ng, Q. Y., & Joseph Jeyaraj, J. (2023). Evaluating Critical Thinking Elements in a Secondary School English Language Textbook in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v12-i2/17454
Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative language teaching today. Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J. C. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
Soe, L. (2024). Higher-order thinking skills in ELT: A content analysis. Asian EFL Journal, 26(2), 88–103.
Thomas, G. P., & Lok, B. (2015). The development of critical thinking in Hong Kong secondary school students. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 24(4), 623–631.
Tiwari, H. P. (2023). ESL Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching Grammar. International Journal of Atharva (IJA), 1(1), 37–47.
Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 45(2), 143–179.
Vygotsky, L. S. (n.d.). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Woodward, T. (2001). Planning lessons and courses: Designing sequences of work for the language classroom. Cambridge University Press.
Zhang, X. (2020). Evaluation of suitability of a listening textbook for English majors in universities of China. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 11(4), 87–94.
Zohar, A. , & D. Y. J. (2003). Higher order thinking skills and low-achieving students: Are they mutually exclusive? The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(2), 145–181.
Adickalam, E. R., & Yunus, M. M. (2022). Systematic Literature Review: Investigating Speaking Challenges Among ESL Learners During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Theory & Practice in Language Studies (TPLS), 12(6).
Ahmed, M. K. (2018). Pedagogy in speaking: Challenges addressed by teacher-student in the ESL context. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 7(3), 97–107.
Aksoy, E. (2022). Content analysis method in educational research. 7(4), 275–280.
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
Cambridge. (n.d.). The Cambridge Life Competencies Framework Introductory Guide for Teachers and Educational Managers.
Chaffee, J. (2012). Thinking critically (Vol. 10). Cengage Learning.
Cunningsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Heinemann.
Dummett, P., & Hughes, J. (2021). Critical Thinking in ELT: A Working Model for the Classroom. In EFLIJ (Vol. 1).
Elango, P., & Kumaravel, R. (2022). A content analysis approach in educational research: A conceptual framework. Journal of Education and Practice, 13(6), 19–27.
Es-Salhi, A., & Elfatihi, M. (2019). Critical thinking: What is it? . Proceedings of the 48th Annual Meeting of the Philosophy of Education Society, 1–11.
Facione, P. A. (2011). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Measured Reasons and the California Academic Press.
Fakhrillah, A. R., & Suharyadi, S. (2025). Evaluating Hots and Lots in ‘English for Nusantara’: A Content Analysis af A Grade VII English Textbook. Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 13(2), 515. https://doi.org/10.33394/jollt.v13i2.13391
Gandeel, A. M. (2016). English language teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding the teaching of speaking. University of Leeds.
Goodarzi, A., Weisi, H., & Yousofi, N. (2020). Newly-published English course books under microscope: An exploration of teachers’ views about the Prospect series. Cogent Education, 7(1), 1840958.
Haghi, E. B. (2013). Evaluation of English Results Course Books at Upper-Intermediate Level. Journal on English Language Teaching, 3(3), 32–40.
Halpern, D. F. (2003). Thought and knowledge: An introduction to critical thinking (4th ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Katemba, C. V, & Grace, R. M. (2023). Role-Playing Improves Speaking Proficiency Skills. Acuity: Journal of English Language Pedagogy, Literature, and Culture, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.35974/acuity.v8i2.3153
Latif, R., Mumtaz, S., Mumtaz, R., & Hussain, A. (2018). A comparison of debate and role play in enhancing critical thinking and communication skills of medical students during problem based learning. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 46(4), 336–342. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21124
Lincoln, D., & Kearney, M. L. (2019). Promoting critical thinking in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 44(5), 799–800.
McGrath, I. (2006). Teachers’ and learners’ images for coursebooks. ELT Journal, 60(2), 171–180.
Mishan, F., & Timmis, I. (2015). Materials Development for TESOL Series Editors: Joan Cutting and Fiona Farr.
Muhammadiyeva, H., Mahkamova, D., Valiyeva3, S., & Tojiboyev, I. (2020). The role of critical thinking in developing speaking skills. International Journal on Integrated Education, 3(1), 62–64.
Ng, Q. Y., & Joseph Jeyaraj, J. (2023). Evaluating Critical Thinking Elements in a Secondary School English Language Textbook in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v12-i2/17454
Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative language teaching today. Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J. C. (2008). Teaching listening and speaking: From theory to practice. Cambridge University Press.
Soe, L. (2024). Higher-order thinking skills in ELT: A content analysis. Asian EFL Journal, 26(2), 88–103.
Thomas, G. P., & Lok, B. (2015). The development of critical thinking in Hong Kong secondary school students. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 24(4), 623–631.
Tiwari, H. P. (2023). ESL Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching Grammar. International Journal of Atharva (IJA), 1(1), 37–47.
Tomlinson, B. (2012). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 45(2), 143–179.
Vygotsky, L. S. (n.d.). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Woodward, T. (2001). Planning lessons and courses: Designing sequences of work for the language classroom. Cambridge University Press.
Zhang, X. (2020). Evaluation of suitability of a listening textbook for English majors in universities of China. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 11(4), 87–94.
Zohar, A. , & D. Y. J. (2003). Higher order thinking skills and low-achieving students: Are they mutually exclusive? The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 12(2), 145–181.
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