Critical Thinking in English Language Teaching: A Bibliometric Analysis 

Background Critical thinking (CT) is a fundamental skill in English Language Teaching (ELT) and a key requirement for 21st century education. Despite its pedagogical importance, a comprehensive understanding of research trends and developments in this field remains limited. This study aims to map the evolution of CT research within ELT by examining publication trends, influential authors and journals, thematic patterns, and existing research gaps. Methods Bibliometric approach was employed to analyse publications on CT in ELT from 2009 to 2024. Data was retrieved from the Scopus database, and 129 eligible publications were examined using VOSviewer, Biblioshiny (R 4.4.1), and Microsoft Excel. The analysis focused on publication growth, citation performance, author and country productivity, keyword co-occurrence mapping, and thematic structures. Results Findings indicate a consistent rise in CT related publications in ELT, with a significant increase between 2009 and 2024. Indonesia was identified as the most productive country, although international collaboration remains limited. The most influential journals include Theory and Practice in Language Studies and the Journal of Language Teaching and Research. Keyword Clustering revealed major themes centred on pedagogy, digital technology, and student engagement, indicating a shift from theoretical discussions toward more applied research directions. Conclusion The growing scholarly attention to CT in ELT highlights its increasing academic relevance but also exposes persistent gaps in empirical implementation and cross-national collaboration. Future research should prioritise inclusive, data driven, and longitudinal approaches that integrate pedagogical experimentation and sociocultural perspectives to strengthen CT development in diverse educational settings.