Fostering Critical Thinking Skills in Senior High School English Learners: A Core Competencies-Based Instructional Model

In the context of deepening global educational reform focusing on cultivating students’ core competencies, critical thinking, as a vital component of thinking quality, has become a key objective in high school English education. However, traditional teaching modes still face challenges in effectively enhancing high school English learners’ critical thinking skills. Grounded in the core competencies framework and drawing on educational theories such as cognitive theory, constructivism, and multiple intelligence theory, this study, taking a public county high school as a case study, employs a mix of research methods including literature review, questionnaire surveys, interviews, and classroom observation. It integrates the quantifiable results of the research with in-depth qualitative insights, and then systematically explores and constructs a set of integrated cultivation strategies for critical thinking, encompassing clear objectives, optimized teaching content, innovative teaching methods, diverse strategies and strengthened evaluation feedback. Empirical findings indicate that this strategy system demonstrates positive effects on improving students’ English critical thinking skills, preliminarily verifying its feasibility and practicality in county high school English teaching. This study aims to offer evidence-based insights and practical references for high school English teaching reform, contributing to fostering high school English learners equipped for future societal demands.