Developing 21st-century skills through speaking projects: critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity in EFL classrooms

Abstract

The development of 21st-century skills has become an important goal of foreign language education, especially at the higher education level. Skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity are now widely seen as essential for academic achievement, future employment, and active participation in today’s global society. In English as a Foreign Language classrooms, speaking activities offer a natural and effective way to develop these skills, particularly when learning is based on meaningful communication rather than mechanical practice. This research paper explores how speaking projects can support the development of key 21st-century skills in EFL classrooms. Using principles from communicative language teaching and project-based learning, it shows how speaking projects encourage learners to think more deeply, work together, and use language creatively. The article also discusses practical considerations related to task design, classroom implementation, and assessment, with a specific focus on speaking instruction in tertiary-level EFL contexts