Teaching Critical Thinking in ESP Distant Learning Format

The authors claim that e-learning courses can have a significant impact on students critical thinking skills through language learning at undergraduate level. We are looking at the effectiveness of ESP Moodle-based “English for Biology” course and reveal the results of the approbation. For our purpose we have applied the pre-test and post-test self assessment form which confirmed the greatest demand for specially designed task to master critical thinking. The experiment has shown that specific tasks aimed at the 21
^st
century skills integrated in the domain of specific professional knowledge have a beneficial effect on students' communicative competencies and provide self-development of biology students. The findings of this study have a number of practical implications in ESP online courses development.