El proceso de leer y la comprensión lectora de los estudiantes de cuarto grado de educación general básica de la fundación cultural y educativa Ambato “Unidad Educativa Atenas”

Abstract

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill for comprehensive learning and the academic, social, and personal development of students. Therefore, strengthening this skill is a priority in today's educational context, especially in the early years of schooling, when the foundations of critical thinking and independent learning are laid. In this regard, the objective of this research was to determine the contribution of the reading process to the development of reading comprehension in fourth-grade students in General Basic Education at the Ambato Cultural and Educational Foundation “Unidad Educativa Atenas,” considering the need to prevent difficulties such as low academic performance, school demotivation, and limitations in text comprehension. Methodologically, the study adopted a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach, with a pre-experimental longitudinal design, descriptive level, and bibliographic and field modality. The population consisted of 24 students, who were given a checklist to identify the use of methodological strategies in the pre-reading, reading, and postreading stages, as well as a pretest and posttest using a standardized reading comprehension test. The research falls within the field of social and educational behavior and presents as a scientific novelty the systematic and integrated application of methodological strategies in each stage of the reading process, demonstrating their direct impact on the literal, inferential, and critical levels of comprehension. The pretest results showed weaknesses mainly at the inferential and critical levels; however, after the intervention, a significant increase was recorded at all levels of reading comprehension, leading to the conclusion that the proper implementation of the reading process contributes effectively to the development of reading skills, promoting a comprehensive education in line with the institutional mission and vision and with current educational and social demands.