The Relationship between Test Takers‟ Critical Thinking Ability and their Performance on the Reading Section of TOEFL

Abstract

The vitality of the ability to think critically is now widely recognized among educators and assessors. Critical thinking is defined as the ability to discipline thinking through efficient information processing (Paul, 1990; cited in Longman, Atkinson & Breeden, 1997). This study aimed at uncovering the extent to which the reading section of a ubiquitous standardized test of English language proficiency, namely TOEFL, engages the critical thinking ability of test takers. To this end, 83 advanced EFL learners completed the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (1980), and the results were correlated with their scores on the reading section of Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT). The findings indicated a statistically significant advantage for those with greater critical thinking skills. Implications relate to the need to incorporate critical reading strategy training in PBT reading preparatory courses and other EFL reading programs. This way, the quality of Measurement-driven Reading Instruction and other EFL reading courses can be improved with a broader goal in mind, that of enhancing critical thinking among learners. Moreover, some of the objections lodged against the idea of teaching to the test, as the prevailing practice today, would be, to some extent, met.