COGNITIVE COMPETENCIES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
Keywords:
cognitive competencies, English language teaching, metacognition, Piaget, Vygotsky, Bloom’s taxonomy, cognitive linguisticsAbstract
This article explores the theoretical foundations of cognitive competencies as they apply to English language teaching and learning. Cognitive competencies—encompassing perception, attention, memory, reasoning, and metacognition—form the backbone of learners’ intellectual engagement with language. In English classrooms, these competencies influence students’ ability to comprehend, analyze, and produce language creatively and critically. Drawing upon the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Bloom, Anderson and Krathwohl, and contemporary cognitive linguistics, the article discusses how cognitive development intersects with communicative and critical literacy objectives. It further examines pedagogical models that integrate cognitive competence training—such as task-based learning, problem-solving, and inquiry-based instruction. The article concludes by emphasizing that English instruction should not only develop linguistic proficiency but also cultivate higher-order thinking and metacognitive regulation essential for lifelong learning.
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References
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