Exploring Primary School Learners' Understanding of Critical Thinking: A Case Study of Makhutswe Circuit, South Africa

Abstract

This study explored Intermediate Phase learners’ understanding of critical thinking, their classroom engagement with critical thinking, and its perceived importance for learning. Drawing on Critical Thinking Theory, critical thinking is conceptualised as purposeful, reflective, and self-regulated thinking involving analysis, evaluation, inference, and reasoned judgment. The study adopted a qualitative approach within an interpretivist paradigm and employed a case study design at a selected primary school in the Makhutswe Circuit, Mopani West District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Participants comprised ten Intermediate Phase learners (Grades 4–7) and five teachers, purposively selected to represent differing achievement levels and teaching experience. Data were generated through semi-structured individual interviews with learners and a focus group discussion with teachers. Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s six-phase model, was used to analyse the data. Findings indicate that learners largely understand critical thinking as questioning, thinking independently, and reflecting on content rather than memorising information. Teachers reported that critical thinking was most evident during classroom discussions, problem-based activities, experiments, and collaborative learning tasks. Despite these practices, both learners and teachers identified constraints, including limited instructional time, large class sizes, and inadequate resources, as barriers to sustained critical thinking development. The study concludes that meaningful development of critical thinking in primary education requires deliberate integration across subjects, learner-centred pedagogies that encourage questioning and reflection, and continuous professional support for teachers. These findings contribute to understanding how critical thinking is perceived and enacted in South African primary school contexts and offer practical insights for strengthening teaching and learning practices.