Improving reading comprehension in Second-year BGU students through short informative texts: A mixed-method quasi-experimental study

Abstract

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.