How can teachers promote critical thinking in reading?

Promoting critical thinking in reading involves engaging students in higher-order thinking skills that go beyond simple comprehension. Encouraging prediction and inference is a powerful strategy because it requires students to actively engage with the text, make connections, and think about underlying themes and author intentions. When students predict what might happen next in a story or infer meanings not explicitly stated, they practice analyzing information and constructing understanding based on evidence from the text.

This approach encourages a deeper interaction with the material, as students must consider various possibilities and justify their thoughts, fostering a more thoughtful and engaged reading experience. By using these strategies, teachers can help students develop critical thinking skills that are essential for their academic growth and comprehension abilities.