<![CDATA[Vocational students are increasingly expected to interpret technical information and make evidence-based decisions in English, yet vocational ESP instruction often separates language practice from higher-order reasoning. This study examined changes in critical thinking associated with a 16-week Microlearning-CLIL model among 34 Grade XI Light Vehicle Engineering students at SMKN 4 Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. A concurrent mixed-methods design combined a Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (W-GCTA) administered at Weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 with classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and student-document analysis. The primary pretest-posttest comparison using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed a statistically significant increase (Z = -5.01, p < .001, r = .86), with mean scores changing from 42.3 (SD = 8.7) to 64.8 (SD = 6.2). Reflexive thematic analysis generated four themes: development of analytical reasoning through authentic automotive content, strengthened linguistic agency and professional identity, pedagogical value of microlearning segmentation, and a shift toward facilitative teaching. Taken together, the findings indicate an association between implementation of the model and the development of critical thinking and professional language use. Because the study employed a single group without a comparison condition, the results are interpreted as within-group change rather than definitive causal evidence]]>
Copyrights © 2026
