THE INFLUENCE OF CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING

Abstract

The development of critical thinking skills has become one of the primary objectives of modern education, particularly in foreign language learning. Critical thinking activities encourage students to analyze information, evaluate arguments, solve problems, and make reasoned judgments while using the target language. In English language learning, these activities contribute significantly to improving learners’ communicative competence, vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, writing proficiency, and speaking confidence. This study investigates the influence of critical thinking activities on English language learning among university students. The research examines how the integration of discussion-based tasks, problem-solving exercises, debates, reflective writing, and collaborative learning activities affects students’ language performance and cognitive development. The findings indicate that students who regularly participate in critical thinking activities demonstrate higher levels of engagement, improved language proficiency, and greater autonomy in learning English. The study highlights the importance of incorporating critical thinking strategies into English language teaching practices to create more effective and learner-centered educational environments.