Citizenship Education in EFL Classrooms: A Pedagogical Model of Application Proposed for the Departments of English –University of Basra (BU)

Qassim Zboon, Muhammad

	Citizenship Education in EFL Classrooms: A Pedagogical Model of Application Proposed for the Departments of English –University of Basra (BU)
hawlyat al_montada
Article 1, Volume 1, Issue 34, 2018, Pages 19-58
Author
Muhammad Qassim Zboon
Abstract
This research paper explores the concept civic or citizenship education, its history, and its value in contemporary society, and presents some examples. This paper presumes that teaching critical thinking skills should be the ultimate aim of education, which produces moral, well-educated and ethically reasoned citizens, who are able to participate effectively in their society. Thus, teaching critical thinking in its strong sense, as advocated by Richard Paul and Linda Elder, should be the guiding force to citizenship and moral integrity. They propose a set of interrelated dispositions that need to be developed and cultivated for effective and responsible moral citizenry, or intellectual characteristics such as intellectual humility, intellectual courage, intellectual empathy, intellectual integrity, intellectual perseverance, confidence in reason, intellectual autonomy, and fair-mindedness. This paper puts forward a profound notion of the interconnectedness of critical thinking to citizenship education, a path to making an essential change in the learners’ lives and educational reform. As a part of an action research, this paper proposes an integrated pedagogical model applicable to the Departments of English – BU, the value of which is to essentially enhance teaching and learning for moral integrity and intellectual virtues in our context. Keywords: citizenship education, critical thinking skills, reasoning, reflection, moral integrity, intellectual virtues, philosophy of education, pedagogy, reflective teaching, civic education

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