Language Teaching Research Quarterly

The mediating function of critical thinking ability (CTA) in the link between language learning techniques and the academic writing of EFL learners has garnered increased attention because of recent educational innovations. Present study aims to examine the impact of self-directed learning on the academic writing skills of Pakistani EFL learners by emphasizing the mediating function of critical thinking ability. Validated scales were used to measure all the research variables. Using a quantitative research approach, data was collected from 240 Pakistani students randomly selected based on the population of Punjab province. For data analysis, IBM SPSS AMOS 25 was used to analyze descriptive data, and then SEM was performed to analyze the structural relationship between constructs. Findings indicated that self-directed learning positively enhanced the academic writing skills of EFL learners, and critical thinking ability partially mediated the relationship between self-directed learning and academic writing skills. Moreover, a significant positive relationship was found among all these variables. This study emphasizes the significance of encouraging SDL and critical thinking to improve academic writing skills. These findings provide insightful information to educators and policymakers on how to improve EFL learners' writing performance through active and independent learning in self-directed learning by integrating critical thinking.