INTEGRATION OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS: A CONTRAST BETWEEN FREQUENCY AND NATURE OF CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISES IN PTB AND CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS

Abstract

This study aims to explore the role of textbooks in integrating critical thinking skills at the primary level. For this purpose, the frequency of higher-order thinking in textbooks of grade 4 is observed. The data for this research are taken from two English textbooks of grade 4. One is the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board, and the other is the Cambridge Primary English. A comparison is made to determine which textbook focuses more on critical and analytical thinking exercises and fulfils the objectives described in Bloom's taxonomy. It is found that there are fewer Higher Order Thinking questions in the PTB book than Lower Order Thinking questions, indicating the least focus on developing students’ cognitive abilities. In the Cambridge textbook, this ratio gradually increases chapter-wise, showing a step-by-step development of critical thinking skills among students.