Critical Thinking's Use in English Reading Instruction

Abstract

After examining various definitions of critical thinking, most researchers agree on one point: critical thinking encompasses not only critical thinking dispositions such as clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness, but also critical thinking skills, involving analysis, interpretation, inference, explanation, evaluation, and self-regulation. Thus, a novel approach to teaching English reading that emphasises helping pupils become critical thinkers need to be put forth. Critical readers who are able to "question, organise, interpret, synthesise, and digest what they read" should be taught to students.