Reason and Respond is about helping students become thoughtful, independent thinkers who can engage meaningfully in the language. It is a practical, topic-based coursebook for A2–B1 learners that blends critical thinking with language development, equipping students to ask better questions, express their ideas clearly in English and reflect, evaluate, and engage in meaningful dialogue.

Students learn to negotiate meaning, listen respectfully, and respond with confidence. Each unit centers on a key concept (e.g., facts vs. opinions, assumptions, bias) and builds understanding through:

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• Collaborative activities that promote peer interaction

• Oral and written tasks that encourage deeper reflection

• Vocabulary and academic fluency development

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How Teachers Can Maximize the Book

Use the thinking cycle as a classroom routine to build habits of inquiry

Encourage student reflection—not just on content, but on how they think

Integrate speaking and writing tasks to reinforce critical thinking across skills

Adapt units to local contexts using the manual’s suggestions

Foster respectful dialogue and peer feedback to deepen understanding

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Contents

Introduction - What is Critical Thinking?

Unit 1 - Facts

Unit 2 - Opinions

Unit 3 - The Art of Listening

Unit 4 - Beliefs

Unit 5 - Assumptions

Unit 6 - Bias

Unit 7 - Review of Units 1–6

Unit 8 - Categorizing

Unit 9 - Evaluating

Unit 10 - Persuading

Unit 11 - Logical Fallacies I: Ad Hominem & Straw Man

Unit 12 - Logical Fallacies II: Either/Or & Appeal to Emotion

Unit 13 - Review of Units 8–12

Extension Activities

Projects