This study is aimed at understanding the critical thinking of Grade 7 students in mathematics in China.It is embedded within the China-Canada Reciprocal Learning Project,and will provide a factual basis for the follow-up studies between my partner and me.The Critical Thinking Grid,developed by the Foundation for Critical Thinking,was used to assess the critical thinking dimensions of the students in terms of purpose,key issues,point of view,information,concepts,assumptions,interpretations/inferences,and implications/consequences.The results showed that students who scored higher in the elements of "purpose"," key issues" and "assumptions" did not necessarily have a good understanding of the text or that they made good assumptions.In the two elements of "information" and "concept",there were big differences between the students scores.This indicates that we should pay attention to struggling students basic knowledge and skills as the scaffolding of critical thinking.Their scores in the element of "inferences" were low,which showed that the students in Grade 7 lack the ability to make conjectures.The students also found it difficult to follow the evidence and rational guidance to draw reasonable,logical conclusions.For follow-up research I would: 1)give explicit instruction in critical thinking with mixed approach combining both general and math-specific approaches,2)design appropriate assessment criteria and combined mathematics test according to Critical Thinking Grid to evaluate students critical thinking at the end of every semester,and 3)try various methods to make students thinking visible to improve their critical thinking thus to cultivate students ability to reason and in-depth analysis in mathematics teaching.