Exploring The Role of English Poetry Annotations as a Booster for Critical Thinking Skills of Public Secondary School Students of Taxila District Rawalpindi

Abstract

  In today’s fast-paced world, critical thinking skills are more important than ever. These skills enable individuals to analyze information, make informed decisions, and solve complex problems. One effective way to enhance critical thinking skills is through the study of literature, particularly poetry. Poetry, with its rich language and multiple layers of meaning, challenges students to think critically and interpret texts more deeply. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of English poetry annotations on students’ critical thinking skills. This research study takes place in 2023 with 60 secondary school students and five teachers teaching English to grades 9 and 10 as participants. Participants are enrolled in an English class of grades 9 and 10. The setting is a public high school in the tehsil Taxila District Rawalpindi Pakistan. This is more dominantly a qualitative study, with surveys, interviews, student-participant work, teacher-researcher observation notes, and responses to poetry analysis questions from teacher interviews also used. The findings revealed that the method of poetry annotations is significant for developing critical thinking skills in secondary school students due to its emphasis on close reading, active interpretation, and analysis of poetic elements, communication, and individualized exploration. By engaging in this method, students not only deepen their understanding of poetry but also cultivate essential critical thinking skills that are transferable to a wide range of academic and real-world contexts.