Using Journal Writing to enhance EFL Learners’ Reflective and Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract

The use of journal writing has been researched for a variety of purposes, but little evidence proves that journal writing can promote critical thinking skills. Journal writing can have several practices based on the aims of the instructor. One common purpose of journal writing, according to different scholars, is to evoke learners’ reflection and thoughts. The aim of this research is to develop English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Students’ critical thinking skills through journal writing assignment. This study adopts the hypothesis of: if students wrote a monthly journal on what they have studied throughout the whole period of a month, their refection and critical thinking skills would improve. To test or prove this hypothesis and to collect the necessary data, a descriptive-qualitative method is adopted based on a questionnaire administered to twenty students randomly selected enrolled at Master in English language Class, besides a semi-structured interview with ten teachers at the English Department, University of Sidi Bel Abbes. The main findings reveal positive perceptions concerning developing students' critical thinking skills through journals writing. Most importantly, writing reflective journals proved to be an effective method also in promoting students’ language proficiency level, and it was praised by both teachers and students who attribute positive comments for integrating journals writing in enhancing reflective practices.Thus, it is recommended to integrate such activity in English Classes.