Opportunities for the use of philosophy for children in English language lessons

Abstract

This thesis investigates the pedagogical challenges and opportunities that arise when implementing Philosophy for Children (P4C) within a 6th-grade English as a foreign language (EFL) context and how the learners engage with this approach. The theoretical part reviews values education, foreign language teaching and P4C methodology. Then the thesis outlines the action research design conducted over four sessions. The analysis highlights increased student motivation and participation and development of critical thinking skills but also revealed challenges related to language anxiety and abstract thinking. The discussion interprets these findings in relation to existing research and the conclusion highlights the implications for EFL teaching. Keywords: P4C, EFL, values education, critical thinking, classroom interaction