Developing critical thinking in EFL education through manipulative discourse analysis

Abstract

This article explores the development of critical thinking in English as a Foreign Language instruction through the analysis of manipulative discourse. In the context of digital transformation and the growing influence of persuasive media content, language education must prepare learners for critical engagement with ideologically and emotionally charged texts. The study addresses the question of how manipulative discourse analysis can be integrated into EFL instruction to strengthen learners’ critical thinking and information resilience. Accordingly, the aim of the study is to provide a theoretical justification for incorporating manipulative discourse analysis into EFL education as a pedagogically grounded tool for fostering critical literacy and cognitive autonomy. The significance of the study lies in conceptualizing manipulative discourse analysis as a pedagogically grounded tool for strengthening learners’ critical literacy, cognitive autonomy, and resistance to informational influence in contemporary digital environments. The study is theoretical in nature and is based on literature analysis, system analysis, comparative-analytical methods, elements of critical discourse analysis, and theoretical modeling. The findings show that manipulative influence operates through the interaction of lexical, syntactic, and narrative mechanisms that activate cognitive schemas and interpretative frames. Logical, psychological, and rhetorical forms of argumentation are identified as key dimensions of persuasive communication. The study proposes pedagogical practices such as discourse-analytical modules, comparative frame analysis, examination of AI-generated content, and argumentative-reflective tasks to foster analytical and metacognitive skills. It concludes that integrating manipulative discourse analysis into EFL instruction strengthens linguistic competence, promotes cognitive autonomy, and supports learners’ ability to critically interpret contemporary media texts.