Fostering text comprehension as a way to make learning and thinking visible

Abstract

This contribution presents a multifaceted research project aimed, on the one hand, at enhancing reading comprehension skills in fourth-grade primary school students and, on the other, at fostering teachers’ professional development. The project involved the implementation of three different instructional pathways, each designed based on empirical evidence: one focused on texts in paper format, one on texts in digital format, and one on combinatory thinking within a game-based context. Each approach was tested both individually and in pairs. The experimental phase involved 432 students. Preliminary analyses indicate that these approaches are effective in developing text comprehension skills.  In parallel, the project also carried out three Research-based Teacher Professional Development initiatives involving 35 teachers, aimed at promoting teacher professionalism, particularly with respect to formative assessment from an inclusive perspective, in line with Ministerial Ordinance 172/2020 and recent national guidelines. Early findings highlight positive outcomes in teachers’ instructional reflection.

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