Reading Comprehension: An Essential Process for the Development of Critical Thinking

People have the right to receive a quality of education that promotes, among other things, reading comprehension and the development of critical thinking. In Ecuador, there is a need to implement strategies and design educational programs to encourage and facilitate the development of these skills. This research focuses on the relationship between reading comprehension and the development of critical thinking, with a particular interest in the education of high school students in Ecuador. This research aims to analyze the relationship between reading comprehension and critical thinking, based on the experiences of a sample of high school students of both genders, aged between 12 and 16 years, from five schools in different regions of Ecuador. The study adopts a quantitative, retrospective, and correlational approach. The surveys, administered to a sample of students, showed that teachers actively encourage reading and implement timely educational strategies and teaching methods to develop critical thinking, recognizing its crucial role in future professional performance.