HACIA LA FORMACIÓN DE LECTORES CRÍTICOS: UN EJE TRANSFORMADOR DE LA ESCUELA CONTEMPORÁNEA

Abstract

The essay addresses the urgent need to reorient education toward the development of critical readers and the deep comprehension of texts within a global context marked by digitalization, information overload, and educational inequalities. Drawing on the results of PISA 2022, it reveals the structural gap in reading competence across Latin America, particularly in Colombia, where teaching practices often remain focused on mechanical decoding. The text grounds critical reading in both cognitive (Goodman, Smith) and sociocultural (Cassany, Freire) perspectives, emphasizing that reading involves interpreting the world and the discourses that shape it. It calls for rethinking the curriculum toward open, contextualized, and dialogical models, integrating De Zubiría’s theory of the six readings as a progressive pathway to foster comprehension and argumentation. The teacher’s role is redefined as that of a mediator, facilitator, and epistemologically curious guide who promotes reflection and student autonomy. Likewise, the essay highlights the importance of formative assessment and technology as tools that—when used with critical intent—enhance reflective and ethical reading. In conclusion, forming critical readers is a pedagogical, ethical, and political endeavor that transcends the teaching of reading as a mere technique: it involves shaping citizens capable of questioning, understanding, and transforming their reality, turning the school into a space for dialogue, thought, and freedom.