LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: A SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE IN TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Text comprehension is fundamental to students' academic development, but a lack of mastery highlights the need to strengthen key skills. In this context, this research aims to understand pedagogical practices and teaching concepts regarding local knowledge and reading comprehension among elementary school students. The study uses a qualitative approach, utilizing the interpretive paradigm and the hermeneutic phenomenological method, to gain a deeper understanding of educational experiences from the participants' perspective. The research was conducted at the Manuel Francisco Obregón Educational Institution, located in the municipality of Pinillos, Bolívar, Colombia, with the participation of key informants who provided relevant data on how local knowledge can be incorporated into teaching processes. For data collection, in-depth interviews were used, capturing the experiences, knowledge, and perspectives of students and their communities. This local knowledge is contextualized within the reality of teaching practice, where significant decontextualization of reading practice is evident, leading to a lack of interest and motivation to reach critical levels of comprehension. The sociocultural approach is believed to not only strengthen reading instruction but also promote a more inclusive and relevant education, enabling students to relate what they learn to their own reality.