近些年，批判性思维能力的培养作为21世纪人才培养的重要项目之一，受到了国内外的广泛关注。国内关于思维能力的培养与学科教学相结合的研究也越来越得到重视。研究表明阅读是培养批判性思维的重要方式。很多学者都指出了批判性阅读与批判性思维之间的密切联系。“阅读圈”作为一种鼓励师生合作阅读，培养学生阅读兴趣和阅读习惯，以及提升学生批判性思维的阅读组织方式，受到了很多学者以及教师们的欢迎。但是关于初中学段的类似研究与实践仍非常有限。

本研究结合初中生批判性思维能力有待提升的实际情况采用行动研究的方法，针对初二年级一个班50名学生，开展了为期一个学期的 “阅读圈”活动。该行动研究包括角色熟悉、角色拓展和角色深化等三个阶段，旨在探究利用“阅读圈”是否能提升初中生批判性思维能力。

本研究的数据收集方式包括批判性思维量表、调查问卷、访谈、课堂实录、教学日志、学生作品、课堂反馈。其中批判性思维量表和调查问卷利用Excel进行了量化的数据分析方式，访谈、课堂实录、教学日志、学生作品和课堂反馈则采用了质性的数据分析。研究结果表明，通过 “阅读圈”活动，学生的“批判思维自信心”和“系统化能力”得到了显著提升，学生在诠释、分析、评价、推理、解释等批判性思维技能的运用也更加灵活和深入。尤其是自我调节能力得到了显著提升。

最后，本研究提出了对一线英语教师、研究型教师以及批判性思维研究者的启示，指出了本研究的局限性和对后续研究的建议。

In recent years, there has been a worldwide concern on ways of developing critical thinking ability for learners in the age of 21^st Century. Accordingly, in China, there has also been an increasing interest in how to develop learners’ critical thinking ability in class. Research suggests that teaching reading can be a good method to develop learners’ critical thinking ability. Many scholars point that critical reading and critical thinking are closely related. Reading circles is popular with many scholars and teachers by its encouraging cooperative reading among students or between teachers and students, by helping to foster students’ good reading habits and interests, and by its improving students’ critical thinking ability. However, research on improving middle school students’ critical thinking ability is limited.

Based on the actual situation that the students’ critical thinking ability needs to be improved, reading circles were conducted in a class of fifty junior two students through the method of action research. The course lasted a semester and was divided into three stages, namely roles familiarizing stage, roles adding stage, roles intensifying stage. This research aimed to explore how to improve students’ critical thinking ability through reading circles.

Data were collected by Scales of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory - Chinese Version (CTDI-CV), questionnaires, interviews, classroom observation, teaching journals, students’ works and classroom feedback. This research adopts quantitative method to analyse the data of scales and questionnaires by using Excel. Quality research method was used to analyse interviews, classroom observation, teaching journals, students’ works and classroom feedback. The results suggest through reading circles, students’ self-confidence and systematicity are improved significantly and that their critical thinking skills including interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation are used more flexibly and pertinently. Especially their self-regulation is improved significantly.

At last, this study draws implications for English teachers, teachers as researchers, researchers who study the development of critical thinking, points out limitations and gives suggestions for the future research.