Reading and critical thinking: horizons of decolonial educational management

Abstract

This research analyzes reading comprehension and its impact on the development of critical thinking in primary school students of the "Emeterio Villamil de Rada" Educational Unit in the city of La Paz, Bolivia. The study arises from the difficulties identified in the processes of textual interpretation, argumentation and critical reflection within the educational context, mainly associated with the predominance of traditional pedagogical practices focused on the memorization and repetition of contents. The objective was to analyze how reading comprehension influences the development of critical thinking and to identify pedagogical strategies aimed at strengthening contextualized and decolonial educational practices. The research was developed under a qualitative approach with a participatory and decolonial orientation, supported by participatory action research. 58 primary level students, 6 teachers and 12 parents participated. Techniques such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews and participatory pedagogical workshops were used. The results showed that contextualized and reflective strategies favored significant improvements in textual interpretation, student participation, critical argumentation, and motivation towards reading. Likewise, it was identified that the incorporation of community experiences and dialogic activities strengthened more participatory learning processes linked to the sociocultural reality of the students. It is concluded that the implementation of participatory and decolonial pedagogical practices contributes to the strengthening of reading comprehension and critical thinking within the primary level.