Relationship between biligualism and critical thinking skills

The main aim of this study was comparing critical thinking skills of bilingual students with monolingual ones. The research method was causal-comparative. The statistical population consisted of all guidance school bilingual and monolingual students of Kermanshah city. Using cluster random sampling method, about 381 students were selected as research sample. Research instrument was Californian Critical Thinking B Form Questionnaire. Data were analyzed Using descriptive statistic indexes and inferential statistic tests such as independent sample t-test and multiple regressions. Findings showed that critical thinking skills mean is low (6.93 of 34) and there were significant differences between critical thinking skills of bilingual and monolingual students. Also, bilingual students’ critical thinking skills were more than monolingual students. Moreover, stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the variables language and gender can predict students’ critical thinking skills. Based on findings of this research we could say that bilingualism is not a threat, instead it could enhance other cognitive skills including critical thinking skills, if careful and on time attention be paid to mother tongue education.