Developing Critical Thinking in EFL Writing: From Formulaic Writing to Higher-Order Thinking Skills – An Infusion-Based Approach

This book addresses a pressing question in higher education: how can EFL students develop critical thinking through writing? Traditional approaches often emphasize grammatical accuracy and formulaic structure, leaving students competent in form but limited in cognitive engagement. Grounded in cognitive psychology, educational philosophy, and applied linguistics, this volume advances an infusion-based approach that explicitly integrates higher-order thinking skills, analysis, evaluation, and creation, into EFL writing instruction. Based on a quasi-experimental study with undergraduate students at the École Normale Supérieure of Rabat, the book demonstrates that students exposed to CT-infused instruction significantly improved their ability to reason, evaluate evidence, and produce original, well-structured written work. Beyond empirical findings, it provides educators with a practical framework for embedding critical thinking into lesson design, classroom tasks, assessment practices, and feedback. While situated in the Moroccan higher education context, the insights and pedagogical strategies offered are applicable to EFL instruction worldwide. By making thinking visible, teachable, and assessable, the book redefines writing not merely as a linguistic skill but as a site of intellectual engagement, bridging the gap between formal accuracy and cognitive depth. This work serves as both a research study and a pedagogical guide for teachers, teacher educators, and curriculum designers seeking to foster critical thinking through language education.