FOSTERING CRITICAL THINKING BY THE APPLICATION OF ACTION-ORIENTED APPROACH IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING PROCESS

This study investigates students’ evaluation of a collaborative, problem-based task Team Research Project that is a part of the course English for Academic Purposes and Research course delivered to students of Childhood Pedagogy at Vilnius University. Grounded in the Action-oriented Approach (AoA) and aligned with the updated CEFR Companion Volume (2018, 2020), the course aimed to foster not only linguistic communicative but also critical thinking (CT) and general academic competencies. The research methodology was qualitative and via structured written interviews the feedback from 32 first-year students was gathered. Content analysis revealed four major themes: perceived benefits, task shortcomings, knowledge gained, and suggested improvements. Students evaluated the task Team Research Project positively, highlighting development in teamwork, communication, research, and CT skills. Many reported improved motivation, personal growth, and a better understanding of CT's role in education. However, challenges included unclear task instructions, time management issues, and uneven team participation. Suggestions included clearer guidelines and more time for preparation. Overall, the findings affirm the effectiveness of the AoA-based, collaborative tasks in enhancing both language and critical thinking competencies. The study supports broader implementation of such methodologies in tertiary-level foreign language education to meet 21st-century educational goals and the necessity to nurture students CT skills.