Studies in Linguistics and Language Education

Towards A "thinking Curriculum" In Foreign Language Teaching/learning: An Epistemological Paradigm Shift

Auteurs : Hares Beshir .

Résumé

This article examines the epistemological foundations of integrating reflection into foreign language teaching and learning (FLTL) through the conceptual lens of the "Thinking Curriculum." While traditional communicative approaches prioritize immediate linguistic output and functional fluency, they often bypass the cognitive, philosophical, and reflective structures that govern deep language acquisition. This study investigates reflection not merely as an isolated metacognitive tool, but as a core epistemological necessity that must be institutionalized within the curriculum. Drawing on Dewey’s pragmatism, Schön’s reflective practice, and Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory, we analyze how a "Thinking Curriculum" restructures the learner's subject-object relationship with the target language. By deconstructing current technocratic pedagogical models, the paper demonstrates that systematic reflexivity transforms passive linguistic reproduction into active conceptual appropriation and critical language awareness. Ultimately, this article proposes a renewed epistemological framework that reinstates higher-order thinking skills at the center of language curricula to foster authentic learner autonomy and intercultural competence.

Mots clés

Thinking Curriculum ; Epistemology ; Reflective Practice ; Foreign Language Acquisition ; Metacognition ; Critical Language Awareness