A case for integration of critical thinking and critical pedagogy

Abstract

This paper deals with the issue of how the critical thinking (CT) and critical pedagogy (CP) traditions should be positioned academically and practically in the local context of English education in Korea (cf. Burbules & Berk, 1999). It argues that there is no serious need to distinguish the two traditions and their educational practices, on the basis of their commonalties and of the local needs and situations. First, it will discuss and show that the two both need a meta-cognitive development of “evaluativism” (Kuhn, 1991). Second, it will show that CT & CP focus on different sides of the same coin: the cognitive and social sides, respectively. Third, it will show that particularly in language education, the Critical Language Awareness seamlessly mediates CT and CP (Svalberg, 2007). Fourthly, it will show that in actual practice CT & CP come very close one another (Paul & Elder, 2014; Crawford-Lange, 1981; Crookes, 2012). Fifthly, it will show that CT and CP utilize common tools. Sixthly, it will show that CT and CP need to supplement one another depending on areas of English education in Korea, to the effect that their distinction is virtually meaningless (Larson, 2010; Park & Lee, 2007).