Critical reading means reading a text not only to detect the information it provides, but also to analyse, understand, question, and interpret the information contained within it. Critical readers try to understand the point of view of the author, and to find the purpose of the text, drawing inferences based on prior experience and knowledge of the cultural background.

The challenge for learners of a foreign language is to combine the development of both critical reading skills and language competence. Critical reading is vital for language learners as it helps engage with the text and enhance both language skills and cultural awareness.

Technology Required

Computer, Internet

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this task students will be able to:

• analyse characteristics of written language
• distinguish between formal and colloquial written language
• identify and critique politeness and correctness of online conversations

Procedure

Find an article from an online newspaper, or search for a topic, in the target language, that may be of interest to the class.

1. Select an article with a number of readers’ comments.
2. Compare the style of the comments to the style of the article. Ask students:
   • What differences do you notice?
   • Which is more formal, and how do you determine the degree of formality?
3. Identify the tone of the comments and ask students:
   • do you see polite/impolite remarks?
   • What constitutes im/politeness?
   • What do you consider inappropriate and why?
     • Optional: Rephrase impolite posts to make them acceptable to your class.

Digital Literacies

Being able to gauge the reliability of information found online is a fundamental part of Information Literacy, while being able to search for and evaluate online sources in order to determine the validity of the content is an essential part of Search Literacy.

Further reading 

• Seven critical reading strategies (Salisbury University)

Suggested next step: Writing strategies: using blogs

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For more information on the use of Critical Reading in a Foreign Language Learning environment:

Wallace, C. (2003). Critical reading in language education. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

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Source/attribution: Digilanguages. Author: Laura McLoughlin, Valentina Rizzo