2016 IJRSLL – Volume 5 Issue 2
Author/s:
Alimirzaloo, Elham*
Department of English Language and Literature, Islamic Azad University, Ahar Branch, Ahar, Iran (alimirzalooelham@yahoo.com)
Hashemnezhad, Hossein
Assistant Professor of TEFL, EFL Department, Islamic Azad University, Khoy Branch, Khoy, Iran (h_hashemnezhad2000@yahoo.com)
Abstract:
This study was an attempt to explore the relationship between and among three variables of critical thinking, language learning strategies and thinking styles. To this end, three sets of questionnaires, namely, the Sternberg and Zhang (1991) thinking styles inventory questionnaire, California critical thinking questionnaire as well as Oxford’s (1990) language learning strategies were utilized as the instruments to elicit the required data from the selected 60 participants. The data was coded and put into SPSS 22 which was analyzed using Spearman’s rank order correlation (Rho) as well as multiple regression analysis. The results of the study indicated that there is significant relationship between critical thinking and thinking styles as well as between language learning strategies and thinking styles. However, the results of the study found non-significant relationship between critical thinking and thinking styles, the results of the multiple regression analysis indicated significant relationships among the three variables. Hence, it seems that language learning strategies play the interfacing role between critical thinking and thinking styles since language learning strategies were showed to be significantly correlated with both critical thinking and thinking styles. Furthermore, non-significant relationship was found between critical thinking and thinking styles, however, the results of multiple regression analysis showed significant correlation among the three variables.
Keywords: critical thinking; thinking styles; language learning strategies; multiple regression analysis; Spearman’s rank order correlation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsll.2015.1106
*Corresponding Author