Zahra Abdi - PhD in Applied linguistics, English Language Teaching, University of Southampton, England

Critical thinking is an unquestionably essential skill in the process of teaching and learning in all levels and fields of study. Critical thinking is one of the key concepts of critical pedagogy as a philosophy of education which has its roots in critical theory and has been inspiring many educators and researchers for nearly fifty years now. Critical thinking as a discipline and critical pedagogy as a teaching approach invoke the term critical as a valued educational goal. They both share some common concerns and bear some differences regarding the concept. This article made an attempt to analyse the concept of critical thinking from a critical pedagogy approach. This would help educators deepen their understanding of this significant concept to be able to apply it more effectively in their educational settings, and to move toward an education system guided, enriched and supported by critical thinking. This is even more pivotal in education systems where monologic lecturing still prevails and critical thinking is widely ignored.

critical pedagogy, critical thinking, critical theory