I do agree that critical thinking does not happen over night BUT if you plan your lesson and think about the QUESTIONS you would like to ask during the lessons .When keep asking a variety of questions ,making predictions in your lessons, giving learning experience to the students to share and use their prior knowledge related to what has been taught it will surely develop critical thinking amongst the students whether they are in small groups or peer groups or in pairs.
Children have to experience the different types of questioning ,how? the teacher itself has to use the variety of questions in his/daily teaching.
say I wanted to give a Shared reading on the page of the Cinderella story - where she is alone in the Kitchen tidying up the kitchen
1. Who helped her to go to the ball?
2. Whey was she said ?
3. Do you think the fairy god mother did the right thing ? why?
4. What happen if she did not tidy up the Kitchen?
5.Why do you think she wanted to go to the ball too?
6.How do you feel when you are told not go to something you want to go too, like Cinderella?
7. Do you think her stepsisters should have taken Cinderella? Why?
You can ask different types of questions each day instead of repeating the same type like what ? who? everyday if you want to create critical thinking amongst your children depending on your lesson.
The teaching asking different types of questions in each lesson will also help the understanding for meaning of the child, also allow critical thinking .