36 In a further explanation, according to Panduan Akademik 2012, at the end of
the programme, students are able to comprehend the passage given and write their responses critically. CRW 1 course is offered in Semester 3. Moreover, in
Panduan Akademik 2012, to be eligible to take this course, students need to pass Basic Reading 1 2, Basic Writing, and Paragraph Writing.
2.1.4 Advanced Level of Reader
In this theoretical description, the elaboration focuses on two main points; the nature of advanced level of readers and the principles of critical thinking. The
exploration on the nature of advanced level of readers will describe the characteristics of advanced level of readers in depth. The principles of critical
thinking will explain the ideas building the critical thinking itself.
2.1.4.1 Nature of Advanced Level of Readers
Advanced readers, according to Catron and Wingenbach, are those who automatically integrate prior knowledge and experience into their reading, utilize
higher order of thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation, and communicate these ideas as cited in Richards, 2001. In their ideas, Catron and
Wingenbach try to discuss advanced level of readers as those who are able to integrate their prior knowledge and experience and utilize of their higher order
thinking level skills as cited in Richards, 2001. Rosales et al. 2010 make clear of the ideas presented by Catron and
Wingenbach by stating that students who have advanced aptitude in extensive
37 reading and critical thinking will more likely be open-minded towards new ideas
and perspectives, which foster a continued intellectual and professional growth. Rosales et al. 2010 also state that extensive reading promotes the development
of critical thinking. Therefore, they add that students have the chance to develop the critical thinking skills if in their academic reading and writing, they are
provided with activities or techniques that employed the interrelated cooperation between the critical reading and critical thinking skills.
Rosales et al. 2010 also provide the explanation of how the ideas of reflective mind and critical thinking fit the criteria of advanced level of readers
proposed by Catron and Wingenbach. They state that the reflective minded students can decide what information is important to be used to face the issues
that concern them. At the same time, they will be more aware of collecting the opinions from the trustworthy sources. Moreover, they also propose that a reader
with a reflective mind has four characteristics. First, he or she is purposeful and he or she adjusts the extensive reading to the definite goals to be achieved in order to
be successful in the academic field. Second, the reader has the ability to integrate ideas and information, which implies that he or she joins the ideas and obtains the
ideas from the text to the articles she or he has already had. Third, a reader with a reflective mind is critical in the sense that she or he is looking for clarity,
precision, relevance, logic significance, and fairness. Fourth or the last characteristic is for the reader to be open to the new perspectives in order to
acquire the knowledge to be an active citizen in this complex world.
38 The second characteristics given by Rosales et al. 2010 strengthen the idea
given by Catron and Wingenbach about advanced level of readers. Rosales at al. 2010 state that students or readers who possess reflective mind are not only
using their prior knowledge or experience in their reading and synthesizing the idea presented but also combining or integrating the idea and the prior knowledge
gained to be a broader idea on a certain topic or a broader understanding on a certain subject matter. The third characteristic given by Rosales et al. 2010
indicate that students with advanced level of reading who possess reflective mind are able to analyze or evaluate the logic of the text in which they are encouraged
to be critical of the relevance and logical significances and fairness presented in the text. The fourth characteristic proposed by Rosales at al. 2010 strengthens
the ideas of advanced readers proposed by Catron and Wingenbach. Catron and Wingenbach state that advanced level of readers has higher level of thinking order
skills to communicate the ideas gained as cited in Richards, 2001. In this point Rosales et al. 2010 also propose that readers are supposed to be the active
citizens of this world regarding the issue happened in their surroundings. Readers need to engage what they understand or get to the real life task so
that what they gained from reading can be useful for their real life experience. It is not only a matter of communicating what is gained but also taking an action based
on what is gained to promote a better environment or an understanding of something in the real world. That is why Rosales et al. 2010 believe that
students who possess reflective mind are open-minded students who also open for the new perspective on issues happened in their real life.
39
2.1.4.2 Nature of Critical Thinking
