‘Narratives’ for Critical Thinking among Undergraduate Students in an ELT Classroom

This is especially true for undergraduate students in the realm of ELT where learners need to involve in analytical, evaluative and synthesizing processes. Narratives in the classroom is a basis for knowledge construction This study focuses on ‘narratives’ which play a vital role in this purpose within an undergraduate English Language Teaching (ELT) classroom. Written narratives, as well as oral history narratives, are a material that can help involve students in identifying, analyzing, interpreting, and reflecting on and about different perspectives. Through the lens of narrative structures, themes, and language choices, students can be encouraged to involve with texts in a more meaningful way and even forge connections to the rest of the world. The paper examines several distinct forms, such as personal narratives, fictitious stories, and case studies, and their influence on the cognition of students. By engaging with these narratives, students can develop multiple perspectives and broaden their understanding of the issue. In addition to this, using narratives encourages a personal forum for students to share opinions and discussion, leading to new approaches in critical thinking. Moreover, the research presents specific strategies which EFL teachers employ when applying narratives in their instructions. Structured storytelling, guided discussions, and critical reflection exercises are among those strategies that require students to consider the content from various perspectives. Narrativity helps the learners to have better language skills and helps in stimulating your creativity, interest and independent thinking, according to this research. These narratives provide an effective tool for encouraging critical discussion within the ELT classroom. Through varied applications of narrative as a mechanism for deeper cognitive involvement, teachers help students develop the critical thinking skills they will need, both now and for a lifetime, to succeed academically. This article argues for a deliberate and thoughtful choice of narratives used in ELT classrooms to develop an analytical and reflective skill set in the students learning.