Validation of a pedagogical reading model to develop communicative competencies

Abstract

Integrating reading comprehension, writing, and oral communication skills in secondary education presents a complex challenge but also a transformative opportunity. Consequently, this study aimed to design, validate, and pilot a pedagogical reading model focused on developing communicative competencies. The research—conducted as a pedagogical action study with a qualitative approach and a proposal-oriented scope—involved the purposive participation of 23 third-year students from a public school. Data collection combined various techniques and instruments, including participant observation, analysis of written work, semi-structured interviews, rubrics, checklists, and a field journal. The resulting evidence was organized through content analysis and triangulation to ensure rigor and depth. Four specialists evaluated the model based on relevance, coherence, clarity, and applicability, yielding an overall Aiken’s V of 0.89, which indicates high validity. Following four pilot sessions, a shift was observed toward the "expected achievement" and "outstanding" levels in reading comprehension, written production, and oral expression. Furthermore, qualitative findings revealed that students drew more complex inferences, organized their texts more effectively, and demonstrated greater confidence when presenting oral arguments. In summary, the model proved relevant and viable within the studied context. However, due to the small sample size and the absence of a comparison group, the observed changes do not allow for establishing causal relationships regarding the model's effectiveness, highlighting the need for future research with more robust designs.