Pedagogical strategy for developing reading comprehension in fourth-grade students

Abstract

Reading comprehension is an essential competency for learning and the holistic development of students. However, persistent difficulties at the elementary education level continue to hinder academic achievement and the construction of meaningful learning. The aim of this study was to design a pedagogical strategy to strengthen reading comprehension among fourth-grade students at the "Luz de América" School through the teaching-learning process of the Language and Literature subject. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating theoretical methods (inductive-deductive and analysis-synthesis) with empirical methods (observation, interviews, and surveys) to diagnose the main challenges within the educational context. The findings revealed that the predominance of traditional teaching strategies limited students' active participation, cognitive development, and text comprehension. In response to these challenges, a pedagogical strategy based on active learning methodologies was designed and implemented to promote participatory learning, interaction with contextualized texts, and the meaningful construction of knowledge. The evaluation of the proposal demonstrated improvements in students' reading comprehension levels, greater engagement in learning activities, and enhanced academic performance. It is concluded that the proposed pedagogical strategy represents an effective alternative for strengthening the teaching-learning process in Language and Literature while contributing to the development of reading competencies in elementary education.