The Proactive Learner: Developing Critical Thinking and Writing Skills

This report delves into the concept of the proactive learner, emphasizing the essential skills of critical thinking and critical writing. It defines critical thinking as reasonable, reflective, and skillful thinking aimed at evaluating information, while critical writing involves analyzing and evaluating information from multiple sources to construct effective arguments. The report outlines various approaches to becoming a critical thinker and writer, such as asking basic questions, being aware of mental processes, using notes, participating in writing groups, and extensive reading. It also acknowledges the challenges encountered during these processes and provides suggestions for overcoming them. The conclusion underscores the significance of these skills in enhancing understanding and achieving personal growth. The report references several academic sources to support its claims and findings.

The Proctive Learner

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Concept of critical thinking.........................................................................................................3
Concept of critical writing...........................................................................................................3
Approaches to become a critical thinker and writer....................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Proactive learners are always looking ahead at future activities, projects and develop
strategies in order to meet the define aim. Also, the current study shed a light upon essential
skills that is required in order to become a proactive learner. For that, the report will discuss the
concept of critical thinking and critical writing. Also study will explain the ways to become a
critical thinker and writer by describing challenges along with ways to overcome the same.
Concept of critical thinking
ŽivkoviĿ (2016) stated that it is correct thinking that helps to pursuit of relevant and
reliable knowledge with regards to world. Thus, it is a reasonable, reflective and skillful thinking
which is focused on deciding what to believe or not. Hence, it is considered one of the core
academic skill which helps the student to reflect on their own knowledge in front of others. This
ability is essential to conduct the research and also known as an invaluable skill in different
workplace scenarios. Hence, there are range of critical thinking examples such that analytical
thinking, communication, open mind. Moreover, the purpose of critical thinking is to ensure that
an individual is able to think clearly and rationally. As a result, people observe the things
minutely and present the results as well.
Concept of critical writing
A writing form which analyze and evaluate the information through multiple sources in
order to develop an effective argument. Hence, with the help of this, an individual evaluate own
work and then increase the reader’s understanding as well. So, it is not about writing a topic in
negative way but it makes sure that writer considered all sides of argument in order to present the
study more effective (Misdi, 2018). For example, writing a research paper, scholar discover
different author’ point of view, as a result tries to aware about all issue link with a topic.
Therefore, it is all about to evaluate the strength and weakness of something and examine why
the theory is relevant for the study. Through critical writing, scholar or investigator easily
critiques the option in order to identify the best one that leads to examine the significance of a
topic as well.

Approaches to become a critical thinker and writer
To become a good critical thinker, there are many approaches used by the learner which
are as mention below:
Asking basic questions: It is the basic strategy that helps to develop the critical thinking.
In this approach, individual must breakdown the questions into smaller part and then tries to
think both positive and negative aspects (Grayson, 2018). During this process, individual did not
understand the question properly due to not having strong interpersonal skill. Thus, to overcome
the same it is suggested to take a help from tutor so that individual understand how to think or
react.
Aware of a mental process: It is another approach that helps to become a good critical
thinker which often turn their analytical abilities outwards. By developing shortcuts and quick
inferences will help to run the brain and develop critical thinking abilities as well (Barjesteh and
Niknezhad, 2020). Also start asking questions to yourself and more aware of bias. In this, a
candidate face issue with regards to thinking abilities and to develop shortcut, try to attend online
classes and learn how to boost the brain by using effective strategy which in turn improve the
mental process as well.
To become a critical writer, it is necessary to have a critical thinking abilities. Thus, by
adopting below mentioned approaches an individual become a good critical writer, by
identifying the challenges and strategies to overcome the same.
Using notes: It is one of the most common approach that helps to improve the critical
writing abilities, because creating neatly organized notes in the planning will help to present the
views in more structure manner (Indah, 2017). As a result, an individual dive deeper in analysis
which in turn improve the skills. In this, an individual faces an issue of collecting information
from different sources ad to improve the same, it is suggested to search content related to topic
and use key words that helps to determine the correct data.
Part of a writing group: To become a good critical writer, start involving in a group
where an individual gain knowledge and ways to improve the writing skills. Initially, person face
difficulty in reading dozens of books by trying to analyze them all. Hence to improve the same, it
is suggested to ask for a help to their peers in order to generate best outcome. It is also examined

that study in a group will help to boost the brain and make critical views more interesting by
working each other by sharing both good and bad views (Arifin and et.al., 2019).
Read a lot: Another approach that helps to improve the writing skill and develop critical
thinking as well. Moreover, it assists to express the thoughts on the selected topic and try to
evaluate with existing one. Also, with the help of reading, individual identify the reason why
different author present their views and difference between thein thinking process. However, this
method is considered one of the best method that helps to shape them to shape their ideas and
also reading multiple sources assist to create own academic voice and improve the development.
Hence in this way, it is easy for the student or learner to express their views and understand other
as well.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above report it has been concluded that critical thinking and writing
assist to observe and interpret the thinks in better manner. Hence, with the help of these abilities,
people better understand themselves along with their goals. Further study concluded some ways
that assist to improve the skills. Also, during each approach, individual experience challenges
and that is why study suggested the ways to overcome the problem and change the situation by
promoting the personal growth as well.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Arifin, R. and et.al., 2019. Improving Law Student Ability on Legal Writing through Critical and
Logical Thinking by IRAC Method. Indonesian Journal of Advocacy and Legal
Services. 1(1). pp.107-128.
Barjesteh, H. and Niknezhad, F., 2020. Fostering critical writing through dialogic teaching: A
critical thinking practice among teachers and students. Iranian Journal of English for
Academic Purposes. 9(2). pp.91-107.
Grayson, M.L., 2018. Teaching racial literacy: Reflective practices for critical writing. Rowman
& Littlefield.
Indah, R.N., 2017. Critical thinking, writing performance and topic familiarity of Indonesian
EFL learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research.8(2). pp.229-236.
Misdi, M., 2018. Beyond critical thinking in academic writing: A discourse
perspective. JURNAL BASIS. 1(2). pp.51-56.
ŽivkoviĿ, S., 2016. A model of critical thinking as an important attribute for success in the 21st
century. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, pp.102-108.