First, the basic meaning of critical thinking ability
In the teaching activities in western developed countries, cultivating students' critical thinking ability has become the main task of educational activities. Paying attention to the cultivation of students' critical thinking ability is conducive to enhancing students' subjective initiative in learning, thus greatly improving English learning efficiency. At the same time, students can effectively improve their communicative competence and achieve all-round development.
The theoretical basis of critical thinking ability stems from Socrates' spirit of reflection and questioning, emphasizing in-depth questioning, hypothesis, thinking and research on the factual views around him. We should strengthen the cultivation of college students' critical thinking ability, so that they can use this ability and accurately judge their learning goals, thus effectively improving their comprehensive quality.
Second, China's college English teaching activities in the cultivation of critical thinking status
Judging from the current situation of college English teaching activities in China, with the passage of time, students' interest in English learning will gradually decrease. The survey shows that about 43.2% of college students in China are not interested in learning English. The reason is that students lack clear English learning goals, or the learning goals are wrong, which leads to repeated learning of English content and a gradual decline in learning interest and enthusiasm.
The fundamental reason for this phenomenon is that teachers ignore the cultivation of students' critical thinking ability, which leads to students' inability to judge and think accurately when learning English knowledge, and ultimately they cannot develop English cognitive skills independently because of the lack of critical thinking ability. In addition, the current college English teaching in China only focuses on cultivating students' English language skills, and the evaluation of students is also based on their mastery of English language skills, which leads to students' only interest in learning English language skills. This is also because teachers ignore the cultivation of students' critical thinking ability, which makes students unable to have the corresponding language communication ability.
Third, the cultivation mode of students' critical thinking ability in college English teaching
According to the above, if we don't pay attention to cultivating students' critical thinking ability, students will lose their English language learning goals, and then lose their interest in learning English, which will lead to their inability to have corresponding language communication skills. The formation of critical thinking ability is based on the original knowledge and skills, which can promote people to make correct judgments and then make reasonable and scientific choices.