<![CDATA[The growing demands of 21st-century education have highlighted the importance of developing students’ critical thinking skills as an essential competency for academic success and lifelong learning. In English language education, particularly reading instruction, students are expected not only to comprehend textual information but also to analyze, evaluate, and construct meaning critically. However, many learning practices continue to emphasize surface-level understanding, limiting students’ opportunities to develop higher-order thinking skills. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the role of deep learning in fostering students’ critical thinking skills through a review of previous research. This study employed a qualitative literature review design by analyzing fifteen scholarly articles published in educational contexts related to deep learning, critical thinking, and English language learning. The data were collected from reputable academic sources and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings revealed that deep learning contributes significantly to the development of critical thinking by promoting active engagement, inquiry, reflection, problem-solving, knowledge transfer, and meaningful learning experiences. Strategies such as problem-based learning, critical reading, collaborative learning, and dialogic learning were consistently associated with improvements in students’ analytical, evaluative, and creative thinking abilities. These findings suggest that deep learning provides an effective pedagogical framework for enhancing critical thinking and supporting meaningful learning in English language education. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on deep learning and offers practical insights for educators seeking to develop higher-order thinking skills in contemporary classrooms.]]>
