Critical thinking and its role in foreign languages study
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Дата
2025
Науковий керівник
Назва журналу
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Назва тому
Видавець
Вінницький державний педагогічний університет імені Михайла Коцюбинського
Анотація
In the contemporary dynamic educational landscape, the development of critical thinking skills has become extremely important and is now widely recognized as a foundational objective across virtually all academic disciplines. This extends significantly to foreign language study, which was traditionally focused on linguistic accuracy and communicative competence. The article provides a research of the relationship between critical thinking and foreign language acquisition, stating that these two cognitive and educational domains are not merely complementary but are, in fact, profoundly reinforcing.
The research examines the cognitive processes that engage with a foreign language and demonstrates how they foster analytical, problem-solving, and evaluative competences within the learner. It also illustrates how applying of a critical mindset enhances both the depth and effectiveness of language learning, examining pedagogical approaches and methodologies that can be integrated into foreign language curricula. These approaches are designed to actively stimulate and develop critical thinking skills through targeted activities and strategic instructional design, moving beyond rote memorization to genuine intellectual engagement.
The methodology employed for the article is based on a literature review and a conceptual analysis that involves a clear conceptual delineation of critical thinking and foreign language study, as well as an exploration of theoretical frameworks that link cognitive development with linguistic acquisition. Furthermore, the methodology focuses on identifying instances of mutual reinforcement, investigating how learning a foreign language stimulates critical thinking and, conversely, how critical thinking can be strategically applied by learners to optimize their language acquisition strategies. The article also highlights the substantial academic and practical benefits of fostering critical thinking in foreign language learners that are far beyond primary linguistic competence and encompass broader cognitive, metacognitive, and intercultural capabilities.
The main research findings reveal a relationship where critical thinking is both an outcome of and an enhancer for foreign language learning, which naturally fosters metacognitive awareness, problem-solving and inference skills, cross-cultural comparison and perspective-taking, and critical evaluation of information and sources. At the same time, a critical mindset significantly improves language acquisition through strategic learning, deeper linguistic processing, effective error analysis and self-correction, enhanced reading and listening comprehension, and improved productive skills. Pedagogically, integrating critical thinking requires a shift to tasks demanding analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, such as problem-based learning, debates, authentic material analysis, and comparative tasks.
The conclusions emphasize that cultivating critical thinking in foreign language learners transcends the traditional objective of achieving linguistic proficiency, instead equipping learners with essential cognitive tools that empower them to make more informed and reasoned decisions, engage in more profound and empathetic intercultural communication, and critically understand diverse perspectives.
Опис
Ключові слова
critical thinking, foreign language study, language acquisition, pedagogy, cognitive skills, intercultural communication, problem-solving, критичне мислення, вивчення іноземних мов, оволодіння мовою, педагогіка, когнітивні навички, міжкультурна комунікація, вирішення проблем
Бібліографічний опис
Golub, T. Critical thinking and its role in foreign languages study / Golub Tetiana Petrivna, Zhygzhytova Liudmyla Mykolayivna, Kovalenko Olha Oleksandrivna // Сучасні інформаційні технології та інноваційні методики навчання у підготовці фахівців: методологія, теорія, досвід, проблеми. - 2025. - № 77. - С. 104–112.