Development of a critical self in the language reading classroom: An examination of learners' L2 self

The value of academic education is not determined by the degree, rather, it is found in the skills and knowledge students gain because of their studies in response to today's evolving globalized world. On the ground of this perspective, the present study introduced, and implemented a critical thinking-based intervention program (3Es CT framework) utilizing Blooms' original (1956) and revised (2001) CT model to explore its impact on learners' reading comprehension and L2 self-discrepancy in an English language context. To address this issue, two online classes of twenty-five Iranian students participated in this study. Stemming from a quantitative study, over a six-month period, the results demonstrated that the intervention group (EG) being exposed to the CT program outperformed the control group in the post-reading tests. Moreover, it was revealed that the CT program was successful in equipping learners with a critical self, which we define as nurturing learners with an analytical and reflective view of themselves to see the reality of what they are, and what they want to become. In other words, significant changes occurred in the perception of participants of EG toward their actual and ideal L2 self, and their L2 self-discrepancy.