CRITICAL READING: STUDENTS’ PROBLEMS, STRATEGIES, AND REFLECTIONS

Abstract

Critical reading is considered the highest level of reading behavior for English Department students. Students are expected to read critically in both non-fiction and fiction texts. This expectation has led many EFL students to face numerous challenges. This study aims to reveal students’ problems, strategies, and reflections on critical reading. Addressing these three points contributes to expanding knowledge of critical reading in the context of EFL reading comprehension courses. This study adopts a descriptive qualitative research design, focusing on students’ written responses to open-ended questionnaires and interviews. EFL students enrolled in Reading Comprehension III were asked to provide written responses to statement starters. Selected students were then interviewed to gain deeper insights into their reflections. The findings show that students encounter both linguistic and non-linguistic challenges in critical reading. Their strategies include both reading skill and non-reading skill approaches. Students reported that the Reading III course improved their critical reading skills, particularly in text analysis, summary writing, and question development. It is recommended to involve students in more activities that require evaluation and question creation. Further research should explore effective strategies for reading critically.