Critical reading as an essential aspect of language acquisition

The study's objectives were to determine (1) whether there was a significant relationship between students' critical thinking and their critical reading achievement, and (2) how students' critical thinking influenced their critical reading achievement. The study used the correlational research method. The study included 193 students from first to fourth grade. The information was gathered through the use of a survey about critical reading and critical reading achievement tests. Based on the research, it was discovered that there was a significant positive correlation between the students' critical thinking and critical reading comprehension achievement. It means that the higher the level of critical thinking among the students, the better their critical reading achievement. As a result, the improvement in students' critical thinking skills is accompanied by an improvement in their critical reading comprehension achievement. Overall, the findings suggest a clear trajectory of growth in critical reading competence across academic years, underscoring the importance of sustained instruction. Continued integration of analytical reading tasks, vocabulary support, and opportunities for discussion and reflection will likely further enhance students' critical literacy skills.