Enhancing Critical Thinking in Philology Students in the Process of Teaching English

This research article investigates initiatives for enhancing students’ critical thinking skills and their emphasis in higher educational institutions within our nation. The study’s objectives are: 1) to ascertain the emphasis on fostering critical thinking among students and prospective professionals in government education documents, particularly higher education, enacted post-2016; 2) to assess how tasks related to critical thinking development are represented in government documents on educational reform and in institutional teaching documents and modules; 3) to explore university instructors’ perspectives on cultivating students’ critical thinking skills; and 4) to evaluate, from instructors’ viewpoint, the extent to which universities have established conditions conducive to nurturing critical thinking.
The study utilized content analysis of presidential decrees, government decisions, policy concepts, and other regulatory documents related to higher education adopted after 2016, alongside existing qualification requirements and curricular documents in universities. Additionally, a survey was conducted among 56 professors and instructors from three higher education institutions within our country. The survey comprised four sections, addressing the following aspects: 1) the availability of materials for developing critical thinking; 2) factors influencing the development of students’ critical thinking; 3) the inclusion and institutionalization of critical thinking development in higher education programs and specialties; and 4) the practical implementation of critical thinking development by instructors. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods.
Government decisions and decrees, as well as conceptual documents adopted post-2017, emphasize developing students’ critical thinking skills in higher education. The implementation of these policies is reflected in qualification requirements for undergraduate programs and academic curricula, where analytical and critical thinking development is explicitly addressed. Survey results from instructors indicate a need for resources, educational materials, training courses, and methodologies to effectively support students’ critical thinking development in universities.