Critical thinking is defined in different ways and in many facets but basically described as the ability to employ a certain level of knowledge with a flexible use of higher-order cognitive skills (e.g., analyzing, interpreting, categorizing, and evaluating). Using critical thinking skills thus involves making active, reasonable, and self-regulatory judgments (Fisher & Scriven, 1997). It is categorized as integral to the 21st century skills (Binkley et al., 2012), a key element of complex argumentation, deep analysis, and other professional behaviors (Kuhn, 1999; Walton, 1989). Over the decades, teaching and learning writing (second language writing included, of course) has been considered as an important part of curriculum that provides a manifold of opportunities for language learners to develop their critical thinking (Abrami et al., 2008; Giroux 1978; Paul 1990; Petrosky 1982; Siegel 1988). It is argued that the starting point is to represent critical thinking in textbooks explicitly or implicitly. This presentation reports on a case study of two writing textbooks written for English as a second/foreign language learners with a focus on how critical thinking development is addressed in the textbooks. The comparative analysis is centered around the design of activities and/or exercises. The chosen textbooks are Writing Critically: English Argumentative Writing (WC henceforth) and Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition (MW henceforth), respectively produced in China and the United States of America. Both have been used widely in their own sociocultural, economic and political contexts. Data was collected about the goal-setting in relation to critical thinking development, selection of thematic contents, structure and presentation of activities, instructions for the activities, culture and value embedded in activities. Based on the data analysis and results discussion, implications for second language writing materials design and development are generated.
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