Flipped Classroom: Its Effects on ESL Learners’ Critical Thinking and Reading Comprehension Levels

Abstract

This experimental study investigated the effects of flipped classroom in enhancing critical thinking and reading comprehension levels of 212 senior high school ESL learners in the Philippines; half of which received the conventional lecture-discussion approach to instruction and the other half received flipped learning approach. Both the control and the experimental groups were subjected to equal number of 15 instructional sessions. In order to establish the baseline data for each group in the critical thinking variable and the reading comprehension variable, pretests were conducted and were subsequently compared to posttest results. The t-test of two independent samples assuming equal variances was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the flipped classroom approach and the lecture-discussion approach with regard to enhancing critical thinking and reading comprehension levels. Results reveal that in both approaches, there were improvements in the critical thinking levels and the reading comprehension levels of the respondents. However, the results reveal that the respondents who received instruction using the flipped learning approach significantly outperform the respondents who received conventional instruction.

How Can Flipped Classroom Develop Critical Thinking Skills? A Literature Review

“…The articles reviewed were the results of research conducted in junior high school [27], [28], senior high school [13], [29], [30], and higher education [8], [15], [31]- [39] levels in different countries (Hong Kong, South Africa, USA, Malaysia, Taiwan, England, Iran, Palestine, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines). The results of the review are presented in Table 1 (the order of articles is based on the year of publication) and described based on the research questions, as follows:…”

“…Several researchers have pointed that students' pre-class learning status could influence their in-class learning outcomes, including the learning tasks related to problem solving and CT [13]. The discussion and activities used the outside classroom activities to provide opportunities for the students to develop their CT [30].…”

“…RSI-based FC developed the students' learning achievement, CT, self-efficacy, and satisfaction more than the traditional case-based training did. [30] Conducted at a senior high school in Philippines, to learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) (N=212). Aim: To find out if FC can also be used effectively in teaching English as a second language with special focus on improving (1) CT levels, and (2) reading comprehension levels.…”

“…In general, the reviewed articles reported that the application of FC can improve CT. Through quasi and true experimental research design, the result of pre-test and post-test revealed that CT tests score of experiment group, which used FC instruction, statistically significant different form the control group, which used conventional/traditional instruction [15], [29], [37], [28], [30]. In the quasi experimental with one group time series design showed that after the implementation of the FC and project-based learning model, the average CT score of post-test was significantly different from the pre-test [38].…”

Análisis Pedagógico del Aula Invertida para el Desarrollo de la Comprensión Lectora y la Producción Oral en el Idioma Inglés

“…The Flipped Classroom Method provides students with the opportunity to learn at their own pace, allowing them to collaborate with one another, and letting them raise concerns and clarifications in a timely manner can be considered as an effective way to develop their critical thinking and reading comprehension (Fulgueras & Bautista, 2020). Even though, findings manifest that students benefit in conventional lecturediscussion, the Flipped Classroom Method provides better opportunities for students to maximize their learning in the ESL classroom, especially with regard to the development of critical thinking and reading comprehension levels (Sin & Siahpoosh, 2020).…”