The Importance and its Development Models of Critical Thinking

Аннотация

This article explores the significance of critical thinking in the digital age and presents effective models for its
development among secondary school students. Critical thinking is defined as the ability to analyze information deeply,
evaluate its validity, and make independent, rational decisions. The article highlights Vincent Ryan Ruggiero’s model,
which includes inquiry, interpretation, and evaluation, emphasizing that acquiring critical thinking skills leads to better
decision-making and problem-solving attitudes. Additionally, American psychologist D.F. Halpern’s research identifies key
qualities essential for critical thinking development, such as organized thought, flexibility, perseverance, error recognition,
awareness, and compromise. The article further introduces Zair-bek’s Teaching of Critical Thinking through Reading
and Writing (TCTRW) program, a three-stage model–engagement, constructing meaning, and reflection–adapted for
seventh-grade English lessons. The expanded model includes pre-evocation, application, and evaluation/metacognition
stages, incorporating innovative methods like motivational videos, debates, journaling, and real-world projects