Language learning, in some educational systems, is evolving to be more than just the learning of vocabulary and grammar but also a platform to foster critical thinking and social awareness. In Morocco, EFL learning at the middle school level is more focused on the acquisition of language skills, while critical thinking about social issues represented in literary works is not a priority. This study aims to assess the impact of critical pedagogy on the critical thinking skills of third-year middle school students in Casablanca, using a novel by Anna Sewell, “Black Beauty,” as a tool to foster critical thinking about social issues.

In the quasi-experimental classroom intervention, 25 students were included in the dialogic and problem-based learning activities aimed at developing critical thinking, reflection, and critical dialogue in the classroom. The analytical and interpretive skills of the students were assessed using pre- and post-tests. The data were analyzed statistically to compare the test results. The study revealed that the intervention significantly improved the critical thinking skills of the students. The average score of the students was 10.04 (SD = 3.09) in the pre-test, which improved to 12.88 (SD = 1.42) in the post-test. This improvement was statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, more than the quantity, the quality of the critical thinking skills of the students was observed in analyzing and evaluating literary events and social issues raised in the text. The students were observed to possess the ability to scrutinize the actions of the characters, evaluate the injustices in the society, and provide rational explanations of the issues raised in the text in association with the themes of the literature.

Based on the study, it was revealed that the integration of critical pedagogy and problem-based learning in the teaching of EFL literature could improve the higher-order thinking skills of the students. This study provides useful guidance for teachers in developing critical thinking skills in their students in the context of the Moroccan middle school setting.