Transfer of Critical Thinking Skills from Mother Tongue to English Academic Writing: Exploring the Perspectives of Multilingual Students in Indonesia

This qualitative study aims to explore the translingual transfer of critical thinking (CT) from the first language to English academic writing among 25 multilingual Indonesian students. Using in-depth interviews conducted over a one-semester observation timeline, the research examines concepts of cognitive scaffolding and rhetorical adaptation. Findings reveal that CT transfer is a non-mechanical process where L1 serves as a cognitive medium for negotiating meaning and restructuring arguments. While metalinguistic awareness facilitates this transfer, divergent rhetorical logic and language anxiety pose significant challenges. This study contributes the novelty of viewing CT transfer as an epistemological negotiation of cultural identity. These results imply that pedagogical support should prioritize culturally responsive writing to foster academic agency and cross-linguistic intellectual authenticity.