Which activity would encourage critical thinking during a reading lesson?

Encouraging critical thinking during a reading lesson involves prompting students to engage actively with the text and think beyond its surface meaning. Asking students to predict outcomes facilitates this process by requiring them to analyze the information provided, make inferences based on their understanding of characters and plot development, and draw connections to prior knowledge or experiences.

When students make predictions, they're not merely recalling information; they are applying their reasoning skills to anticipate what might happen next. This requires them to evaluate the context and implications of the text, thus fostering deeper engagement and understanding. The skill of prediction also helps students to develop a critical lens as they consider various possibilities and the motivations behind characters' actions.

Activities such as silent reading, rereading for comprehension, and summarizing chapter points primarily focus on understanding and retaining the material rather than fostering critical engagement. While these methods are certainly useful for building comprehension skills, they do not inherently push students to evaluate, infer, or hypothesize, which is central to critical thinking development.