Adapting Literature Circles for Critical Thinking in Indonesian EFL Classrooms: A Qualitative Case Study Aligned with SDG 4

Adapting Literature Circles to Foster Critical Thinking Skills in Indonesian EFL Classrooms: A Qualitative Case Study toward SDG 4

Fostering Students' Critical Thinking Through Literature Circles in EFL Classrooms: A Contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 4

turnitin unesa1

Cultivating Critical Thinking through Literature Circle Activities: A Case Study in the Chinese EFL Classroom

This study aims to address the growing need for critical thinking in the information age, and the documented challenges of fostering critical thinking among Chinese EFL learners who are often constrained by linguistic limitations and a cultural reluctance to challenge authority. Based on a single-case implementation of an adapted literature circle activities model with intermediate English majors at a private Chinese college, and using James Joyce’s “Araby” as the focal text, the researcher intends to determine whether, and through what mechanisms, critical thinking can be developed in this context. Data were collected through classroom video recordings, student work samples, teacher reflective journals, and pre- and post-lesson interviews. The findings indicate marked improvement in five dimensions of critical thinking which are active participation, reasoned discussion, curiosity and confidence, multiple perspectives, and empathetic engagement, and this improvement is attributed to three interacting factors: the intrinsic properties of the literary text, the streamlined four-task circle design, and the teacher’s scaffolding role. Therefore, the case study suggests that adapted literature circle activities can effectively bridge language teaching and intellectual growth to cultivate in students a disposition toward questioning that begins with textual interpretation and extends to self-reflection.

Differentiated Learning and Critical Thinking in Elementary Indonesian Language

Differentiated instruction has been positioned as a cornerstone strategy within Indonesia's Independent Curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka) for accommodating learner diversity and fostering higher-order thinking skills, yet empirical evidence on its implementation in elementary Indonesian language learning remains limited.  This descriptive qualitative study examined the implementation of differentiated instruction, students' critical thinking skills, and associated teacher challenges in a Grade V class (n = 26) at SD Negeri 20 Palu. Data were collected through structured observation checklists, semi-structured teacher interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using Miles et al.'s (2014) interactive model. Findings revealed that 90% of observed differentiation indicators were implemented, encompassing student needs mapping, varied instructional methods, tiered resources and assessment, and technology use; however, structured collaborative learning was absent in observed practice despite being reported by the teacher. Students' critical thinking skills showed progressive development across three topics (number writing: 56.73%; command sentences: 65.38%; scanning reading: 75.00%), with higher-order indicators, particularly drawing conclusions, consistently weaker than surface-level explanatory skills. Principal implementation challenges included time constraints, materials adaptation demands, limited learning resources, and absence of formal professional development in differentiated instruction. These findings extend existing literature by demonstrating that partial but meaningful differentiation, even without formal teacher training, generates measurable critical thinking gains, while confirming a theory-practice gap in collaborative learning common across resource-constrained contexts globally. Sustained professional development and structured institutional support are recommended to strengthen differentiated instruction practice.

Integrating Critical Thinking into EFL Speaking Instruction: A Qualitative Case Study in Indonesian Higher Education

This study examines how critical thinking is integrated into EFL speaking instruction in higher education. A qualitative design was employed to gain an in-depth understanding of lecturers' critical thinking and speaking instruction. The study was conducted at Muhammadiyah University of Bone and involved 4 lecturers and 14 students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis of lesson plans. The data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns in lecturers’ perceptions and instructional strategies. The analysis focused on three interconnected stages of instruction: planning, action, and evaluation. The findings reveal that lecturers perceive critical thinking in speaking as the ability to analyze issues, justify opinions with evidence, and respond thoughtfully to counterarguments. Students’ classroom participation also showed that critical thinking emerged through their ability to ask questions, compare viewpoints, justify opinions with evidence, respond to counterarguments, and reflect on the quality of their oral performance. They believe that students' speaking skills should be evaluated not only on fluency, pronunciation, and grammatical accuracy but also on their capacity to analyze issues, build logical arguments, use evidence, engage with differing viewpoints, and reflect critically on ideas.