Sessions

Critical Thinking and Writing: Preparing for EMUs

With the current focus on globalism in Japanese higher education, preparing students for English-medium universities (EMUs) is an important goal for language educators in Japan. In particular, students must be prepared for academic writing assignments which require the demonstration of specific critical thinking skills. Such assignments, however, present challenges to international students, and Japanese students in particular, for a variety of reasons related to cultural and linguistic differences, second language proficiency, and previous educational experience. This presentation will address the critical thinking skills that are emphasized in English-language academic writing and factors that can affect the demonstration of those skills. In addition, the presenter will suggest ways that teachers can help students develop their critical thinking skills and apply them to academic writing.