The Relationship between Critical Thinking Ability of Iranian EFL Learners and Their Resilience Level Facing Unfamiliar Vocabulary Items in Reading

Abstract

In line with the studies in EFL/ESL contexts confirming the positive relationship between learner factors and language proficiency, this study investigated the relationship between critical thinking ability, resilience, and reading comprehension of texts containing unknown vocabulary items. For this purpose, 63 intermediate EFL learners were selected as the homogenized group. Afterwards, Peter Honey's (2004) appraisal test, Connor and Davidson's (2003) Resilience Scale, a vocabulary checklist, and a validated battery of four reading tests were given to the subjects. In order to empirically investigate the research hypotheses, the subjects were divided into two groups of high and low critical thinking and resilience groups. The results of the analyses for the collected data through t-test revealed that (a) the levels of critical thinking had significant effect on the scores of the subjects on resilience scale, (b) the levels of critical thinking had significant effect on the subjects' reading ability of texts with unfamiliar vocabulary items, and (c) the levels of resilience had significant effect on the subjects' reading ability of texts with unfamiliar vocabulary items. Therefore, the findings indicated that the three variables are related rejecting all three null hypotheses. The effect size index for the t-observed values were .62, .79, and .30, respectively. Moreover, the factor loadings for the four tests showed that the critical thinking questionnaire, resilience scale, and reading comprehension test all tap on the same underlying construct. The findings bear some implications for syllabus and materials designers, test developers, teachers and students' practice in EFL/ESL classrooms.