ABSTRACT

Since the 21st century, critical thinking has become one of the main objectives of education. At present, China is also promoting quality education, which includes the development of critical thinking ability. Primary school English curriculum was born to meet the needs of quality education and accelerate the educational reform in primary schools. So primary school English teaching cannot be separated from the development of critical thinking ability, either. The primary pupils’ thinking modes are still not mature and quite elastic. It is of great importance to develop primary pupils’ critical thinking ability. On the one hand it will help raise pupils’ critical awareness and establish their mode of critical thinking; on the other hand it can also help them apply this mode to the rational identification, consideration and evaluation of a variety of phenomena and problems at an early age. 

It has been found that over a long period of time, primary school English teaching in mainland China has been bound with examination-oriented education. As a consequence, it tends to ignore the development of critical thinking ability and fails to fully apply it to the teaching practice. Besides, the factors that influence the cultivation of critical thinking ability also come from students and teachers. Based on some theories of critical thinking, and considering the current situation of primary school English teaching and primary pupils’ physical, mental and learning characteristics, this paper explores some feasible ways and strategies of cultivating students’ critical thinking ability in primary school English teaching, including improving teachers’ professionalism, teachers’ focusing on students in class and creating a free atmosphere for them, raising proper questions, leading students thinking actively, adopting different ways of teaching according to different types of lessons and so on. 

Key words: Primary School; English Teaching; Critical Thinking

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-2

2.1 Theoretical Research of Critical Thinking-2

2.1.1 Definition of critical thinking-2

2.1.2 Construction of critical thinking-3

2.2 Empirical Research of Critical Thinking-4

2.2.1 Critical thinking in educational practice-4

2.2.2 Research on critical thinking ability in primary school  English teaching-5

Chapter Three CURRENT SITUATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL  ENGLISH TEACHING IN CHINA-7

3.1 Characteristics of Primary School Students-7

3.1.1 Physical and mental characteristics of primary school students-7

3.1.2 Educational enlightenment in primary school-7

3.2 Requirements for Primary School English Teaching-8

3.3 Current Situation of Primary School English Teaching-9

Chapter Four CULTIVATION OF CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY IN  PRIMARY SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHING-11

4.1 Factors Affecting the Development of Critical Thinking Ability in Primary School English Teaching-11

4.2 Suggestions on Developing Students’ Critical Thinking Abilities-12

4.2.1 Requirements for teachers’ professionalism-12

4.2.2 Strategies for different types of English lessons in primary school-13

Chapter Five CONCLUSION-15

REFERENCES-17