Scrutinizing the Impact of Teachers’ Critical Thinking and Teaching Autonomy on Their Teaching Success and Learners’ Use of Language Learning Strategies

Abstract

Postmethod perspective on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching considers EFL teachers to be reflective and autonomous practitioners who play the role of change agents. In order to systematically study the way these attributes affect teachers’ and learners’ actual performance, this study investigated the effect of EFL teachers’ Critical Thinking (CT) and Teaching Autonomy (TA) on their Teaching Success (TS) and EFL learners’ Language Learning Strategies (LLS) use. Twenty mixed-gender upper-intermediate and advanced level general English classes were randomly selected from ten language schools. The teachers were 25 to 40 years of age (Mage = 31), whereas the learners were 18 to 30 (Mage = 24). In each class, CT and TA questionnaires were answered by the teacher and the LLS and TS scales were completed by the learners after 12 to 19 sessions. The results of a one-way ANOVA followed by a post-hoc Scheffe’s revealed that those EFL learners whose teachers had a high TA level show a significantly higher perception toward TS. Moreover, those learners whose teachers had a low CT level showed a higher, but non-significant, perception toward TS. Furthermore, EFL learners whose teachers had a moderate level of TA demonstrated a higher, but non-significant, use of LLS. Finally, EFL learners whose teachers had a high CT level showed a higher, but non-significant use of LLS. Regarding the limitations and drawing upon the findings, the article concludes with some pedagogical implications and some avenues for future research.

EFL Teachers' Reflective Teaching, Use of Motivational Strategies, and Their Sense of Efficacy

“…In recent years, the ELT pedagogy has been becoming increasingly conscious of the significance of teachers' role in materializing pedagogical goals (Akbari et al, 2008;Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017). Consequently, and quite reasonably, there has been a penchant for indicating those factors which have the highest contribution to ELT practitioners' success and learners' language learning (Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017).…”

“…Consequently, and quite reasonably, there has been a penchant for indicating those factors which have the highest contribution to ELT practitioners' success and learners' language learning (Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017). Among these factors, SE is believed, unanimously, to be a key asset to ELT teachers (Henson et al, 2001).…”

“…Consequently, the present study attempted to inspect the way EFL teachers' RT and UMS interact with their SE. The literature abounds with studies which assume a major role for RT (Dellinger et al, 2008;Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017) and UMS (Cheng & Dörnyei, 2007) in determining EFL teachers' pedagogical triumph and SE directly and indirectly. However, the systematic comparison between RT and UMS in predicting SE as well as the systematic inspection of the way these three variables are associated are among areas which had not been touched before this study.…”

“…RT is also believed to exert a positive impact on EFL learners' language proficiency (Akbari et al, 2008;Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017). Dewey (1933, as cited in Akbari et al, 2008) postulates that reflection is "active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusion to which it tends" (p. 9).…”

“…It is a widely-held belief that if EFL teachers do not reflect on their teaching practice, they are bound to become slaves to routine (Nosratinia & Zaker, 2017). Akbari (2007) postulates that "teachers have always been reflecting on what they have been doing in their classes"… and it is "impossible to imagine a context in which we have human interaction on a cognitive level and no reflection going on" (p. 9).…”