An Evaluation of Textbooks Designed for Advanced English Learners Within a Foreign Context: A Critical Thinking Perspective

Abstract

The present study explored the relationships between inference and deduction abilities as two aspects of critical thinking (CT), tasks dealing with the CT and its two aspects, and the English language achievement (ELA) of advanced learners of English as a foreign language in Iran. To this end, the 172 participants' scores obtained in the last three semesters were averaged and correlated with the shortened Persian Wat-son-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and its two inference and deduction subtests. Significant relationships were found between the ELA and CT. Tasks based on the CT also correlated significantly with the ELA, leading to suggestions made for future research .