Event Date: 13th May 2023

Abstract:

With the proliferation of fallacious arguments, “fake news,” and untrustworthy sources in today’s multimedia landscape, critical thinking skills are vital not only in one’s native language, but also when engaged in the task of language learning.

Written with the language teacher in mind, Greg and Andy will talk about their new critical thinking book that provides a springboard for teaching critical thinking skills in multicultural, multilingual classrooms.

They will explain what critical thinking is, outline critical thinking classroom activities that teachers can incorporate into their classes, and discuss ideas for researching the impact of critical thinking activities with second-language learners.

About the Speakers:

Gregory Hadley is a Professor of Cultural Studies and Applied Linguistics at Niigata University, Japan. He received his PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Birmingham, UK, where his primary focus was in the Sociology of English Language Teaching. A Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford, UK, he is the author of English for Academic Purposes in Neoliberal Universities: A Critical Grounded Theory (2015) and Grounded Theory for Applied Linguistics: A Practical Guide (2017).

Andrew Boon is a Professor in the Global Communications Department of Toyo Gakuen University, Japan. He holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from Aston University, UK, and has published numerous articles on methodology, motivation, and teacher development. He is also author and co-author of several writing, listening and speaking, and news media ELT textbooks and scores of graded readers for English language learners.