本文是一篇英语教学论文研究，笔者通过对教材的内部分析，认为高中英语教材阅读材料的设计体现了学生批判性思维能力的培养。然而，阅读材料中反映的批判性思维能力的分布比例并不均衡。批判性思维技能包括分析技能、推理技能和评价技能。内部分析显示，分析技能所占比例最大。在所有高中英语教材的阅读材料中，推理技能所占比例最小，评价技能所占比例居中。批判性思维倾向的分配比例是均衡的。批判性思维倾向包括严谨、自信、开放、正直和坚持模型。这个这五种批判性思维倾向在阅读材料中所占比例相对合理。
Chapter I Introduction
1.1 Research Background
1.1.1 Requirements of Developing Critical Thinking in ModernEducation
21st century is known as “ knowledge-based era” and “information explosion”era. This era is characterized by knowledge generating and spreading at anunprecedented speed and the development of the Internet and modern technology isaccelerating the renewal of the information and knowledge (Luo,2001). Myers (1986)claims that “the amount of information obtained through social media and internetseems beyond the human’s ability to master and use information”. Paul puts forwardthat in this information era, some information is out of date (1993). Thus, it is urgentthat education should help students identify and deal with varieties of informationand make the best choice. Therefore, it depends on the ability of critical thinking ifone wants to pick up the useful and meaningful knowledge and information from theabundant reading materials for a limited period of time.
The information era calls for people to read critically when encountering hugequantity of information. There are many methods to improve one’s ability ofgathering useful information and making the best decision. Critical thinking is aparticularly valid method to handle questions that asks us to carefully demonstrate asituation, uncover its hidden issues in order to make the best choice. Meanwhile,critical thinking may help people pick up the most useful and reliable informationwhen they use critical thinking technique to help them gather meaningful informationquickly. By reading a variety of related researches, the author found that ahigher-order thinking ability is lacked among the Chinese students.
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1.2 Research Purpose and Significance
1.2.1 Research Purpose
The research is based on some previous findings and theoretical foundations,aiming at making an analytic study on the design of cultivation of critical thinkingability in senior high school English reading materials. This thesis attempts to analyzehow the design of senior high school English reading materials and reading exercisesreflect the cultivation of critical thinking. Besides, this thesis also wants to know aboutthe teachers’ attitudes towards cultivating student’s critical thinking ability in seniorhigh school English coursebooks. The research is useful to actualize the requirementsof the New English Curriculum Standards, especially the part of developing students’thinking quality. It can help teachers cultivate students’ critical thinking ability throughunderstanding the design of reading materials and reading exercises in terms of criticalthinking ability reflected in senior high school English coursebooks. After doing textanalysis, investigating and analyzing the questionnaire, some suggestions are given tothe teachers and coursebook designers -- as to the cultivation of senior high schoolstudent’s critical thinking ability.
1.2.2 Theoretical Significance
In doing this research, the related theories of critical thinking from abroad and athome have been introduced and studied. These theories have been widely used in thekinds of research fields. However, it is a new research area to combine the theory ofcritical thinking with coursebook evaluation, especially in form of an analytic study onthe design of coursebooks in terms of cultivating critical thinking. This thesissynthesizes the results of the relevant theories and empirical researches abroad and athome. It is hoped that the research will make some contributions to the application ofcritical thinking theory in coursebook evaluation, so as to enrich and supplement the relevant theories in these research fields.
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Chapter II Literature Review
2.1 Major Concepts of the Study
