ENHANCING EFL LEARNERS’ CRITICAL THINKING AND ACADEMIC LANGUAGE SKILLS THROUGH AUTHENTIC MATERIALS

Abstract

The growing availability of English-language information has altered the educational meaning of foreign language proficiency. Secondary school learners are no longer expected merely to recognize grammatical structures, memorize lexical units, or reproduce model dialogues; they increasingly encounter a communicative environment in which they must understand information, distinguish relevant evidence from unsupported assertion, compare viewpoints, explain interpretations, and express reasoned positions in English. This change places critical thinking and academic language development in a close methodological relationship. The present study investigates the pedagogical potential of authentic materials for developing these capacities in secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education.