Situated learning educational experiences to strengthen reading comprehension in primary education

Abstract

The New Mexican School proposes a pedagogical reorganization oriented towards learning with a social sense, where situated learning acquires relevance by linking school knowledge with authentic contexts. Objective: To analyze an educational experience of situated learning, implemented under the principles of the New Mexican School, aimed at strengthening reading comprehension in primary school students, in order to assess its contribution to the development of significant and contextualized learning. Materials and methods: A case study was developed with fourth grade studentsof primary education using the Problem-Based Learning methodology, using the fable The Cicada and the Ant as a central didactic resource; reading comprehension was assessed with diagnostic questions and the EDICOLE instrument, complemented with evidence of written production. Results: The findings showed progress in reading comprehension, highlighting that 60% of the students achieved adequate comprehension of the text and areas of opportunity were identified in components of the reading-writing process, particularly in vocabulary and spelling, which allowed characterizing strengths and needs for pedagogical follow-up. Conclusions: The experience analyzed suggests that situated learning, operationalized through Problem-Based Learning, is pertinent to strengthen reading comprehension in primary school and favor meaningful learning; however, its full impact requires didactic continuity, teaching accompaniment and specific strategies to comprehensively address the dimensions of the reading-writing process.