Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill for academic success; however, second-year students of the Unified General Baccalaureate (BGU) in Ecuador often experience persistent difficulties at inferential and critical levels. This study assessed the impact of using short informative texts as a pedagogical strategy to enhance reading comprehension. The research adopted a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design with a sample of 44 participants in a rural educational setting. The intervention consisted of a didactic sequence incorporating vocabulary scaffolding, guided structural analysis, and inferential questioning. Data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistical procedures to determine the magnitude of improvement. Results revealed a notable redistribution in performance levels: the proportion of students in the highest achievement range (9.00–10.00) increased from 13.6% (n=6) to 29.5% (n=13), while those in the lowest range (≤ 4.00) decreased from 22.7% (n=10) to 2.2% (n=1). Improvements were observed across comprehension levels, indicating a positive shift in students’ reading performance. These findings suggest that systematic exposure to concise, structured texts can mitigate cognitive overload and support the development of higher-order reading skills in low-proficiency learners, particularly in resource-constrained educational contexts.
This study examines the use of English audio recordings as a pedagogical strategy to support vocabulary acquisition among rural eighth-grade students. The research adopts a pre-experimental quantitative design supported by qualitative data, involving 25 students from a public rural school in Rocafuerte, Manabí. In contexts where access to authentic linguistic input is limited due to technological and geographical constraints, alternative low-cost strategies become essential for effective language learning. The intervention consisted of the systematic use of English audio recordings across eight sessions over a four-week period. Vocabulary performance was assessed through a pre-test and post-test, complemented by classroom observations and field notes to capture students’ engagement and response to auditory input. The results show measurable improvements in students’ vocabulary performance following the intervention, evidenced by higher post-test scores and a more homogeneous distribution of results across the group. These findings suggest that exposure to consistent auditory input may support the development of phonological awareness and facilitate the connection between lexical form and meaning. However, due to the descriptive nature of the study and the absence of a control group, the results are interpreted as observed progress within a specific sample rather than as evidence of a causal relationship. Qualitative observations further indicate increased student engagement and greater familiarity with pronunciation patterns. The study concludes that English audio recordings constitute a practical and cost-effective pedagogical resource for vocabulary development in rural EFL contexts. Additionally, it highlights the importance of context-sensitive instructional strategies and recommends further research with larger samples and controlled designs to validate these findings and explore their long-term impact.
Janny Elizabeth García García, Dolores Katerine Lara Alcívar· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
Reading comprehension remains a critical challenge in primary education, where students often struggle to transition from mechanical decoding to inferential and critical thinking. This study examines the association between a pedagogical strategy based on short stories and the reading proficiency of sixth-grade students at the José Vicente Luque Educational Unit. Grounded in Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 2011), the research employed a mixed-methods approach with a pre-experimental design (single-group pre-test/post-test) involving 32 participants. The independent variable—short story strategy—was operationalized as an integrated instructional intervention combining measurable text features (structural brevity, narrative unity, and thematic relevance) with guided pedagogical mediation throughout the pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading phases. After verifying normality via the Shapiro-Wilk test, the paired-samples t-test revealed a statistically significant improvement ($p < .001$), resulting in the rejection of the null hypothesis. Notably, Cohen’s $d$ (0.73) indicated a medium-to-large effect size, reflecting a robust positive trend in student performance. Qualitative findings further identified a reduction in cognitive fatigue and enhanced engagement. Overall, the findings indicate that optimizing cognitive load through brief narratives may facilitate the allocation of mental resources toward higher-order comprehension. Due to the absence of a control group, these results are interpreted as indicative evidence of a positive association rather than definitive proof of exclusive causality. The study concludes that the short story may function as a high-potential didactic resource for fostering analytical reading skills in basic education.
María Esperanza Cano Zambrano, Dolores Katerine Lara Alcívar· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
