Cultivating Critical Thinking in EFL Learning: Strategies, Outcomes, and Contextual Considerations

Abstract

The link between Critical Thinking (CT) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has been extensively studied in the literature. However, there is a lack of research on investigating the integration of CT activities in EFL education at Saudi Arabian universities. Building on current research highlighting the relationship between language proficiency and cognitive development, this study attempts to examine instructional strategies, implementation challenges, and pedagogical outcomes. Through a quantitative analysis of 35 EFL teachers' responses to a Likert-scale questionnaire, the research identifies key findings in three areas. First, while active learning (mean = 4.2) and text analysis (mean = 4.1) emerged as the most effective strategies, their implementation faced significant constraints from language proficiency barriers (74% agreement) and large class sizes (69% agreement). Second, teachers demonstrated strong commitment to sociocultural adaptation, with high emphasis on cultural relevance (77% agreement) and prior knowledge activation (83% agreement), though multilingual approaches remained underutilized (60%). Third, CT integration showed positive impacts on language proficiency (80% agreement) and learner autonomy (74% agreement), but revealed gaps in academic achievement alignment (74%). The findings suggest that successful CT integration requires institutional support through reduced class sizes, enhanced professional development in culturally responsive pedagogies, and curriculum redesign that balances global teaching approaches with local contexts. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on CT in EFL contexts and provides practical implications for educational policy and practice in alignment with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 educational modernization goals.