Öz
Among the factors influencing students’
educational performance of English language course, critical
thinking is thought to be of crucial importance. Thus, the present
study set out to explore the relationship between critical thinking,
its subscales and English language achievement. Also, the
predictability of English language proficiency based on critical
thinking was investigated. The statistical population included all
eleventh grade female students in district one of Zanjan city in the
academic year of 2018-2019 with1400 people. The statistical sample
was300 people based on Cochran’s formula. A multi-stage random
sampling method was used to select the participants. The design of
the study was ex-post facto design. The California Critical Thinking
Skills Test, Form B was used to assess students’ critical thinking
ability. The participants’ scores of English language course at the
end of the first semester were considered as a criterion for their
English language proficiency. The results of the correlation analyses
revealed that critical thinking and its subscales correlated
significantly with academic achievement (p=0.0). Also, based on
regression tests, it was revealed that English language proficiency
is predictable based on critical thinking. The findings of this study
would be beneficial for students, teachers, schools and educational
officials.