DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THROUGH ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

In the modern educational environment, critical thinking has become one of the essential competencies required for students' academic and professional success. Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to prepare students who can analyse information, evaluate arguments, solve problems, and make independent decisions. English language teaching provides valuable opportunities for developing these abilities because it involves communication, discussion, interpretation, and reflection. This article explores the role of English language teaching in developing critical thinking skills among university students. It examines theoretical approaches to critical thinking, identifies effective teaching strategies, and discusses how classroom activities such as debates, problem-based learning, collaborative tasks, and reflective writing can promote students' analytical abilities. The article argues that integrating critical thinking into English language instruction can improve not only students' language proficiency but also their intellectual independence and academic performance.