The Teaching and Learning of Critical Reading

Listen to ELiS educators discuss why critical reading matters and how teachers can build these skills in learners.

Last updated 9 September 2026

ELiS Podcast cover featuring three smiling women labeled Yasila Vetri, Florence Lee, and Tay May Yin.

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We feature Yasila Vetri, Lead Teacher, who has been in service for almost 30 years in roles such as Head of Department, Teaching Fellow at the NIE and Curriculum Specialist in MOE. Yasila speaks with Tay May Yin, Principal Master Teacher, and Florence Lee, Master Teacher, about what the teaching of critical reading involves and why developing critical reading skills is important for our learners.

Suggested readings on critical reading and metacognition

Topic
Metacognition and Critical Reading	Lyman Jr, F. T., Lopez, C., & Mindus, A. (2016). The Shaping of Thought: A Teacher's Guide to Metacognitive Mapping and Critical Thinking in Response to Literature. Rowman & Littlefield.
	Pressley, M., & Gaskins, I. W. (2006). Metacognitively competent reading comprehension is constructively responsive reading: How can such reading be developed in students? Metacognition and Learning, 1, 99–113.
	Tomasek, T. (2009). Critical reading: Using reading prompts to promote active engagement with text. International journal of teaching and learning in higher education, 21(1), 127-132.

Episode published 3 Jan 2023.