A Mixed Methods Study on Beliefs and Practices Pertaining to Critical Thinking Among EFL Teachers in Philippine Public Schools: Implications for Policymaking

Abstract

This study aims to set directions for policy formulation on the integration of critical thinking (CT) in English for seventh grade students in Philippine public schools. Mixed methods were employed to analyze and compare quantitative and qualitative data regarding beliefs and practices of teachers with reference to integrating CT into teaching English. A semi-structured interview and a four-point Likert scale were simultaneously used, thereby producing a nested sampling. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis for qualitative data were merged for analysis and comparison of both data strands. Qualitative results showed that Filipino English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers strongly regard CT as a crucial element in teaching English, specifically literature, to seventh grade students. However, one-on-one interviews indicated that these teachers have a narrow and insufficient understanding of the concept of CT and its relation to teaching and testing. Contrary to this, quantitative results revealed that, generally, these teachers strongly believe that they have a clear understanding of the term CT and its application in teaching and test construction. They expressed agreement on the need to have a clear set of guidelines for policymaking on how CT be understood and integrated into teaching and testing. Based on the analysis of integrated results, the need for a clear definition of CT be provided by education policymakers so that teachers have clarity of its meaning and how its components, namely, ability and disposition, be explicitly integrated both into teaching and testing of English for seventh grade students in Philippine public schools.