Chapter 7: The Effects of Critical Thinking Instruction on The Critical Thinking Dispositions and Critical Thinking Skills of Students Enrolled in Ninth-Grade English

The effects of critical thinking instruction on critical thinking dispositions and skills among ninth-grade English students in the U.S. Virgin Islands were investigated. The California Critical thinking Disposition Inventory and the California Critical Thinking Skills test were used to assess the participants’ dispositions toward critical thinking and critical thinking skills. Some significant correlations were found within the subscales of the instruments used. The study indicates the importance of dispositions if students’ critical thinking skills are to be strengthened. Implications are identified for the improvement of instructional materials in higher-order thinking and assessment and the use of classroom strategies to enhance critical thinking skills within the U.S. Virgin Islands educational system and throughout other societies as well.