CRITICAL THINKING IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

This paper investigates the theoretical foundations for integrating critical thinking (CT) into communicative language learning, with a focus on its transformative potential within English Language Teaching (ELT). Anchored in established frameworks by scholars, CT is defined as a multifaceted cognitive process involving interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. The study traces the philosophical evolution of CT-from Socratic inquiry and Dewey’s reflective thinking to Bloom’s taxonomy-underscoring its dual function as both a domain-general and domain-specific competence. Within ELT, the incorporation of CT significantly enriches the four macro-language skills-listening, speaking, reading, and writing-by cultivating learners’ analytical, inferential, and evaluative abilities. Moreover, it supports the development of learner autonomy and fosters critical language awareness, thereby positioning CT as a central pillar of contemporary language pedagogy.