ISSN: 2782-893X
eISSN: 2799-0664
ISSN: 2782- 893X
—— In reading comprehension, applying critical thinking in reading activities is crucial aspect to develop the pupils’ capability in catching the sense of the passages read. Critical reading is not the same as the other kinds of reading like skimming or scanning the text, but rather using the higher order thinking skills. Higher order thinking skills (HOTs) play an important role in developing and improving the reading comprehension of the pupils. Hence, this study was formulated to evaluate the effectiveness of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) to the performance of Grade 4 pupils in reading comprehension skills. Utilizing a 20-item researcher-made reading comprehension test emphasizing the inclusion of HOTS questions administered to the Grade 4 pupils before and after the integration of higher order thinking skills in teaching reading comprehension. Simple percentage and t-test of mean difference were the statistical tools used to interpret the result of the study. The study revealed a significant difference in the performances of Grade 4 pupils before and after the integration of higher order thinking skills in teaching reading comprehension. The higher order thinking skills through the art of questioning of the teacher in developing the competencies in reading comprehension stimulated the pupils to be able to understand the content of the text and in the application of critical thinking skills in arriving at the correct answers to the questions based on the passages presented. By using higher order thinking skills, pupils can think creatively and critically. The pupils can activate their prior knowledge, apply their higher-level thinking, and enhance their interest and participation in the learning and teaching process. Thus, making the intervention effective strategy to improve the reading performance of the pupils. Keywords — Effectiveness, Higher Order Thinking Skills, Performance, Grade 4 Pupils, Reading Comprehension