CRITICAL READING: THE WHAT, THE WHY AND THE HOW Critical reading is a skill that requires knowledge and correct use of the language, as well as the ability to think and comprehend. People often think they know how to read well yet when faced with various text types of varying levels of complexity they fail to comprehend these texts.

Reading critically involves being able to read between and beyond the lines and making value judgements about what the author is saying, at the same time utilising effective questioning techniques, and logical thinking devices.

DEFINITIONS Critical reading involves recognising key information and ideas within a text; discovering and understanding how they are linked to give meaning, which then leads to analysing and evaluating information and or ideas to decide what to accept or believe and then to finally provide logical reason for for the acceptance or beliefs etc.

In short critical reading involves : careful active, reflective analytic reading - reflecting and questioning information (thinking). So in other words, critical reading comes before critical thinking. In critical reading we need to read critically and understand information before we can apply critical thinking strategies/skills to critical reading. For example: clarifying, analysing, evaluating and reasoning information.

DEVELOPING CRITICAL READING SKILLS Here is a guide for developing skills in reading between and beyond the lines (The deep approach to reading). Understand what you read Interact with the text vigorously Relate new ideas/information/ knowledge to previous knowledge through association Identify and relate concepts to real life situations and to the context of the text Identify underlying meaning/messages

DEVELOPING CRITICAL READING SKILLS Reflect through effective questioning strategies Identify relevant and irrelevant information and being able to substantiate responses logically Examine the logic of the argument Develop logical conclusions Make a stand or making decisions

WHY?? To protect our wallets? To safeguard our ability to think for ourselves To make up our own minds about the day’s important issues