The Role of Literature in Developing Critical Thinking and Communication Skills among University Students in Pakistan: A Review of Educational Practices

Abstract

The importance of literature in higher education has been well known since the dawn of time as it plays a very important role in the intellectual, language and personality development of students. English literature is taught in universities in Pakistan with the hope that it would not only add to the knowledge of the student in the field of literature but would also build higher order thinking skills and effective communication skills which would be beneficial in the academic and professional life of the student. Literature instruction in many universities is still examination centric and teacher centric in Pakistan which does not allow students to do critical analysis and learn for reflection and interact with the other students. In this review paper, literature has been discussed with critical perspective on current educational practices, pedagogical approaches and existing scholarly evidence in developing critical thinking and communication skills among university students of Pakistan. The study follows the methodology of critical literature review which is qualitative in nature and has been based on peer reviewed research articles published from the year 2015 to 2025 from national and international databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Erics, Google Scholar and reputable academic journals in Pakistan. Literature-based pedagogies enhance students' analytical reasoning, problem-solving skills, interpretation skills, and creativity, and also further foster their academic writing skills, oral communication skills, vocabulary knowledge, and interpersonal skills, as revealed in the reviewed literature. However, these strategies have some drawbacks due to rote learning strategies, less widespread reading culture, lack of teacher training, less contemporary pedagogies, less interaction in class, and less critical inquiry in assessment systems. The review also indicates that the curriculum should be reformed, the instruction should be student-centered, the education of literature teachers needs to be improved, and interactive teaching and information technology-based teaching should be fully introduced into the literature classroom. It finds that literature should not only be appreciated as a mere literary subject, but it should be viewed as a catalyst for education, which can produce critical thinking, confident communication and lifelong learning that will meet the academic, professional and social challenges of today's Pakistan.