Abstract—The New Curriculum Standards for compulsory education in mainland China have placed renewed emphasis on the importance of critical reading instruction. However, many primary school teachers face significant challenges in both conceptual understanding and practical implementation of critical reading within the classroom. This study employed a qualitative multiple case study design to explore how frontline Chinese language teachers navigate these challenges. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten female teachers currently teaching in primary schools across Zhejiang Province. Thematic analysis, supported by MAXQDA (version 2024), was used to analyze the data. Findings reveal that teachers adopt a variety of strategies to address these challenges, including attending demonstration classes, engaging with new media for professional support, implementing project-based learning, and refining classroom techniques. These approaches reflect teachers' efforts to enhance their pedagogical knowledge and adapt their practices in alignment with the goals of the New Curriculum Standards. 
 

Keywords—critical reading, primary school, teaching approaches, the new curriculum, challenges 

Cite: Chuyang Zhang, Siew Ping Wong, and Xianghui Yang, "Chinese Primary School Teachers' Approaches to the Challenges of Teaching Critical Reading: A Multiple Case Study," International Journal of Learning and Teaching, Vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 268-272, 2025.

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