Critical Thinking Lifelong Learning: An ADKAR Model Based Framework for Managing a Change in Thinking English Language Learning Styles at the Secondary Stage.
The general secondary stage in Egypt is a vital educational phase since it plays an essential role in developing students' thinking and learning styles to prepare them for life in general and higher education in particular. Accordingly, it has become urgent and persistent to develop secondary stage students' critical thinking styles while acquainting them with self learning skills that would facilitate lifelong learning to guarantee meaningful learning and active participation in public life. This will eventually qualify them to do their future careers, especially when it is connected with mastery of the English language, which has become a pre requisite for many jobs in Egypt. Therefore, English language teaching (ELT) at the secondary stage should be given priority since language teachers can act as agents of change. The aim of ELT to secondary school students is to equip them with the necessary language, thinking and study skills to communicate effectively and to understand spoken and written English competently. The current exam oriented language learning/teaching mode dominant at the secondary stage does not allow for developing critical thinking and lifelong learning new skills reinforced by 'Hello for Secondary Schools' the currently used English Teaching Series. Therefore, the present study aims at proposing a framework based on ADKAR Change Management Model to improve secondary stage students' learning and thinking styles by fostering their critical thinking and lifelong learning skills while learning English as a foreign language. This involves: (1) investigating the real thinking and lifelong language learning needs of secondary stage students from expert teachers' perspectives (i.e. through conducting some structured interviews online with 20 secondary stage expert