Developing Critical Thinking in Bilingual Education: From Theory to Pedagogical Practice

 1. Understanding the Concept of Critical Thinking

The truth is that critical thinking has long been at the heart of effective teaching and learning. As early as 1941, Glaser described it as more than an intellectual exercise—it is an attitude, a way of approaching problems and experiences with curiosity, logic, and persistence. According to Glaser (1941), critical thinking involves three interrelated elements:

1. A disposition to thoughtfully engage with the problems and subjects that arise within one’s experience.
2. Knowledge of logical methods of inquiry and reasoning.
3. Skill in applying those methods to real situations.

In simpler terms, Glaser reminds us that critical thinking begins with a personal decision: the choice to reflect deeply instead of reacting automatically. For bilingual educators, this means encouraging students to pause, question, and examine their assumptions when facing linguistic or cultural challenges. It also involves guiding learners to analyse information logically—whether they are decoding a text, forming an argument, or reflecting on cultural differences. When teachers foster this kind of reasoning, they are not just teaching language; they are nurturing independent, analytical minds capable of engaging meaningfully with the world.

2. The Purposeful Nature of Critical Thinking

Years later, Peter Facione (1990) expanded on Glaser’s ideas by emphasizing that critical thinking is a purposeful and self-regulated form of judgment. It encompasses processes such as interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation—all grounded in evidence, logic, and methodological awareness.

And it is that, in the bilingual classroom, this perspective translates into the teacher’s ability to model deliberate thinking. When educators demonstrate how to question sources, validate evidence, and explore multiple viewpoints, they help students learn to regulate their own thinking processes. For example, when comparing idiomatic expressions across languages, learners must interpret, evaluate, and infer meanings within different cultural frameworks—essentially practicing Facione’s vision of critical, self-aware reasoning.

3. The Reflective Discipline of Thought

Paul and Elder (2001) proposed that critical thinking is “that mode of thinking—in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by taking charge of its structures and imposing intellectual standards upon them.” The implication for educators is profound: thinking is not merely something that happens; it is something that can—and must—be guided.

In practice, this means helping students identify the structure of their thoughts: What assumptions am I making? What evidence supports my conclusion? Could there be another perspective I have not considered? In bilingual settings, where learners navigate multiple linguistic and cultural systems, such metacognitive awareness becomes even more essential. When students recognize their biases—perhaps preferring one language’s logic or worldview over another—they begin to develop intellectual fairness and humility.

In addition, teachers can model reflective thinking by articulating their reasoning aloud, showing students how they apply intellectual standards such as clarity, accuracy, and relevance when analysing information. The result is not just linguistic proficiency but the cultivation of thoughtful, conscious learners who can reason across languages and contexts.

4. Making Decisions through Reflection and Reason

Ennis (2011) offered a concise yet powerful definition: critical thinking is “reasonable and reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do.” In other words, it is about making informed choices—decisions grounded in evidence rather than impulse.

For bilingual teachers, this definition offers a practical framework for everyday pedagogy. When guiding students through a discussion, for instance, educators can encourage learners to pause before responding: “What do I really believe, and why?” or “Which argument seems most reasonable given the evidence?” This reflective stance helps students not only improve their linguistic output but also develop moral and intellectual responsibility.

Moreover, critical thinking in this sense invites the teacher to be both a facilitator and a model of reflection—demonstrating how to question, how to listen, and how to decide thoughtfully amid diverse perspectives. In doing so, bilingual classrooms become microcosms of democratic discourse, where reasoning, fairness, and empathy guide action.

5. Bringing Theory into Pedagogical Action

The truth is that these definitions—though rooted in different decades—converge on a shared idea: critical thinking is both a habit of mind and a set of teachable skills. For bilingual educators, this means that developing students’ reasoning abilities must go hand in hand with language instruction.

To make this happen, teachers can:

• Encourage questioning and reflection in both languages.
• Design tasks that require evidence-based argumentation.
• Introduce metacognitive routines where students evaluate their reasoning processes.
• Foster a classroom culture that values intellectual humility and open-mindedness.

By doing so, teachers empower learners to think critically in and across languages, equipping them to navigate complex global realities with confidence and empathy.

References

Ennis, R. H. (2011). The nature of critical thinking: An outline of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. University of Illinois.

Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction. American Philosophical Association.

Glaser, E. M. (1941). An experiment in the development of critical thinking. Teachers College, Columbia University.

Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2001). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life. Prentice Hall.