Developing reading competence and critical thinking through folk tales and question-based strategies

Feruza Masharipova; Muslima Matlatipova

doi:10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss4-pp62-68

Feruza Masharipova Associate Professor, Urgench State University named after Abu Rayhan Biruni
Muslima Matlatipova Student, Urgench State University named after Abu Rayhan Biruni

DOI

https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss4-pp62-68

Keywords

active reading , critical thinking , bottom-up approach , top down approach , Uzbek folk tales , question formulation , reading comprehension , culturally responsive teaching

Abstract

This article explores the role of active reading and question formulation strategies in enhancing critical thinking among young adolescent learners. It emphasizes the integration of top-down and bottom-up reading approaches and highlights the importance of activating learners’ background knowledge, encouraging inquiry, and making personal connections. The use of traditional stories, such as Uzbek folk tales like Zumrad and Qimmat, The Golden Watermelon, and Nasreddin Khodja anecdotes, serves as a culturally rich context for critical reading. The study demonstrates how these narratives can foster student engagement and promote deeper understanding through guided questioning. Practical classroom applications and recommendations are also provided to support the development of reflective, analytical readers in the EFL context.

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Downloads

38 25

Published

2025-07-15

How to Cite

Masharipova, F. and Matlatipova, M. 2025. Developing reading competence and critical thinking through folk tales and question-based strategies. Foreign Linguistics and Lingvodidactics. 3, 4 (Jul. 2025), 62–68. DOI:https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss4-pp62-68.