The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

The game: a didactic strategy to

strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

To reference this article / Cómo citar este artículo / Para citar

este artigo: Arrieta-Mier, M. E., Mieles-Palacín, J. J., & González-Roys,

G. A. (2023). The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading

process. Revista Criterios, 30(1), 65-81. https://doi.org/10.31948/

rev.criterios/30.1-art4

Reception date: April 23, 2022

Review date: July 01, 2022

Approval date: October 30, 2022

Abstract

The reading process is multiple since within it complex thinking skills underlie

and, through this process, we can have a more critical and reective look at

the world around us. It is also clear that it is necessary to seek strategies that

contribute to strengthening the reading process in students. In this article, the

game is addressed in dierent reading situations, and how it can be established

as a very important didactic strategy to strengthen the process. In addition, the

article gives an account of how various authors have signicantly investigated

playfulness and its incidence in reading processes. The results showed an

improvement in this process of the students, in terms of the literal comprehension

of texts at dierent levels. It was concluded that the playful activities managed

to capture their interest and improve concentration when reading or interpreting

questions related to the texts.

Keywords: strategy; reading; game; strengthening; didactic; process.

Master in Pedagogy. Teacher at Eduardo Suárez Orcasita Educational Institution, Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia. Email: mairaes.arrieta@

umariana.edu.co

Master in Pedagogy. Teacher at Vírgen del Carmen Educational Institution, La Mesa, Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia. Email: jmieles@

umariana.edu.co

Master in Research and Development Management. Teacher at Universidad Popular del Cesar, Valledupar, Cesar, Colombia. Email:

ggonzalezr@umariana.edu.co

This article is the result of the research entitled: The game in reading situations: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

in 5-2 students of the Eduardo Suárez Orcasita Educational Institution of Valledupar, Cesar, developed from April 1, 2020 to November

30, 2021 in the municipality of Valledupar, department of Cesar, Colombia.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

El juego: una estrategia didáctica para

fortalecer el proceso lector

Resumen

El proceso lector es múltiple; dentro de él subyacen habilidades complejas del

pensamiento y, a través del mismo, se puede tener una mirada más crítica y

reexiva del mundo que nos rodea. Es claro también que, se hace necesario

buscar estrategias que contribuyan al fortalecimiento del proceso lector en los

estudiantes. En este artículo se aborda el juego en diferentes situaciones de lectura

y cómo éste se puede establecer como estrategia didáctica de gran importancia

para fortalecer el proceso lector. Además, da cuenta de cómo diversos autores

han investigado de forma signicativa la lúdica y su incidencia en los procesos

lectores. Los resultados evidenciaron una mejora en el proceso lector de los

estudiantes en cuanto a la comprensión literal de textos en los diferentes niveles.

Se concluyó que, las actividades lúdicas lograron captar su interés y mejorar la

concentración al leer o interpretar interrogantes relacionados con los textos.

Palabras clave: estrategia; lectura; juego; fortalecimiento; didáctica; proceso.

O jogo: uma estratégia didática para

fortalecer o processo de leitura

Resumo

O processo de leitura é múltiplo, pois nele estão subjacentes habilidades complexas

de pensamento e, por meio desse processo, podemos ter um olhar mais crítico e

reexivo sobre o mundo que nos cerca. Fica claro também que é preciso buscar

estratégias que contribuam para fortalecer o processo de leitura nos alunos.

Neste artigo, o jogo é abordado em diferentes situações de leitura, e como

ele pode ser estabelecido como uma estratégia didática de grande importância

para fortalecer o processo de leitura. Além disso, o artigo dá conta de como

diversos autores têm investigado signicativamente o lúdico e sua incidência nos

processos de leitura. Os resultados mostraram uma melhora nesse processo dos

alunos quanto à compreensão literal de textos em diferentes níveis. Concluiu-

se que as atividades lúdicas conseguiram captar o interesse deles e melhorar a

concentração ao ler ou interpretar questões relacionadas aos textos.

Palavras-chave: estratégia; leitura; jogo; fortalecimento; didática; processo.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Introduction

Reading has been conceived, over the years,

as a complex activity in which each human

being can nd a way to interpret, understand

and observe in depth the world around them,

in a creative and transforming way; for this

reason, it is important that each young person

nds in the reading process, a way to critically

and reexively understand their environment,

stimulating in this way, the mental abilities to

analyze, comparing, classifying, identifying,

among others.

Through the direct observation technique,

during the Spanish Language, Social, and

Natural classes, among others, it was noted

that the students in class 5-2 of the Eduardo

Suárez Orcasita educational institution are

very prone to not reading comprehensible or

attentive ways to the texts, having diculty

reading the paragraphs or the instructions,

which means that the teacher must explain to

them what they have to do in each activity. In

the same way, when facing dierent types of

readings, it is dicult for them to understand

them, generating a lack of interest that could

have repercussions on their reading habits, thus

aecting the reading encoding and decoding

process. The purpose of the observation was

to identify the shortcomings presented by the

students, nding the little taste for reading and

their little understanding when they carry out

this action.

At this point, it can be mentioned that students

require a didactic strategy capable of arousing

interest in the comprehension and interpretation

of texts, highlighting linguistic cognitive skills,

thus determining the semantic and, at the

same time, syntactic information developed in a

good reading. Therefore, the research question

arises: How to strengthen the reading process

using the game as a didactic strategy in students

in class 5-2? Likewise, other questions or sub-

questions were addressed; to respond, the

main objective was to strengthen the reading

process using the game as a didactic strategy in

reading situations. And, as specic objectives, to

identify the reading situations with the didactic

strategy of the game and to analyze the reading

development through the game.

The study arises through the observations

made in the daily work and in the teaching

practice of the researcher, a scenario in which,

developing the methodological mechanism,

she was able to demonstrate little interest on

the part of the students when carrying out the

reading activities. Taking into account these

considerations, it was necessary to propose

an investigation that would promote the taste

and good habits for reading comprehensively

and that, at the same time, would become a

tool to develop the formation of criteria and

communication skills in students in regarding

the interpretation and comprehension of

dierent types of texts.

The research was determined within the

constructivist paradigm, being its main

exponents Jean Piaget and Vygotsky, whose

contributions, terms, and concepts about

the subject have inuenced psychology

and education, particularly in elds such as

perception, learning, and personality. It is

clear that, when there are social interactions,

there is an approach to reality, depending on

the assertive relationship between researcher

and research subject, from which accurate and

coherent data is extracted to that reality. The

method is qualitative in nature because this

project was based on practical experiences

inside the classroom, where the techniques and

instruments used were aimed at the human

and emotional parts of each of the subjects.

Pedagogical Action Research (PAR) was used

since this reective method involves a constant

analysis of the educational task, where the

improvement of the quality of the teaching-

learning process is sought.

For the conguration of this study, a background

review was made of books, graduate works

and articles on strategies to improve reading,

strategies, and learning techniques through

play and games as a didactic strategy, resulting

in a large number of authors and publications

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

dedicated to the subject. After the review,

the following authors and publications can be

highlighted:

At the international level, Minerva-Torres (2007)

in Venezuela, who conducted research on the

play as a learning strategy in the classroom

and arms its importance in the integral

development of children in terms of their

education, stands out. The general objective

was to know what strategies teachers use to

facilitate learning. The work methodology was

to conduct interviews with students about their

tastes and favorite games. The author bets

on a signicant practice, where the game that

has accompanied the lives of boys and girls

since ancient times, becomes a fundamental

piece in their school process, to strengthen

their knowledge. The study, of a descriptive

type, was carried out with the help of direct

interviews with teachers and students, using

the strategy as a fundamental axis. Its most

important result was that, through distraction,

more dynamism and creativity can be brought

to the classes, helping at the same time to

improve the academic processes that contribute

to remedying weaknesses shown in dierent

aspects of education. Because of its richness

in contributions to entertainment as a didactic

strategy, this study contributes signicantly

to the present study, because it substantially

supports the theoretical framework.

At the international level, Aquino and Sánchez

(1999) in Mexico City, oer some reections on

play and creativity from a constructivist point of

view. They dene play based on ideas proposed

by scholars on the subject, its characteristics,

and the stages it goes through, focused

especially from a Piagetian perspective. They

consider that children’s play is valuable for

the development of creativity and for better

learning. The analytical research shows how

the child who has had more opportunities to

be creative in play has greater possibilities of

solving the problems, unknowns, and challenges

that each situation poses. The nature of this

study helped to build the theoretical framework

of this research, as well as to establish a

comparison with the results.

Play is part of the daily life of children; playing,

they spend their time between their fantasy,

their fun, and their reality. As this activity is

important for the human being, studies have

shown that it can be involved to strengthen

reading in them and thus, little by little, discover

a wonderful world that opens the doors to an

unknown and interesting world.

On the other hand, the research called Strategies

to promote the pleasure and habit of reading

in the rst cycle, developed by Valencia and

Osorio (2011) at the Robert F. Kennedy School

in Bogotá, highlighted the importance of games

as one of the main teaching and learning tools

for encouraging reading, showing the dynamics

of the game with shared reading, through

dierent activities. The object of study focused

on the search for and application of didactic

strategies compiled in workshops that had the

purpose of facilitating the promotion of reading

from a perspective where children were the true

protagonists of learning. It is understood that,

for the authors, it was fundamental to make

a signicant approach to language and for the

students to have fun reading, taking reading

as something habitual in their lives and not as

something imposed or uncomfortable. For all of

the above reasons, this study was key because

it supported the construction and consolidation

of strategies to foster a taste for and interest

in reading.

At the national level, the research of Baquero

(2018) stands out, who presented a didactic

design to potentiate reading comprehension

through dramatic play, in which the work is

proposed from dramatic play workshops, where

students of the institution Rafael Valle Meza

of Valledupar, Cesar, represented through the

characterization of characters, role plays and

theatrical plays, the process of comprehension

of narrative texts. The study had a qualitative

approach, to improve the teaching practice

and analyze it from the context and its actors;

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

for this reason, the reality of the context was

analyzed at the headquarters, and solutions

coherent with the students’ needs were

proposed, taking into account signicant

details. For this purpose, instruments such as

interviews, surveys, participant observation,

and eld diaries, among others, were used.

The author concludes that the game strategy

becomes an excellent didactic option to favor

reading needs, indispensable in all learning

processes, promoting collaborative work, linking

the context to the classroom, and leaving aside

linear classes. This leads her to arm that the

game, through drama, became a facilitating

process that signicantly and dynamically

increased the students’ reading levels. Because

of its richness in contributions to the game

as a didactic strategy, this study serves as a

fundamental piece for the present study, because

it supports both the theoretical framework and

the comparison of analysis results.

At the national level, the research of Bucheli

et al. (2015) is appreciated, through which

valid instruments were sought that allowed to

evaluate in a dierent way the level of reading

comprehension in students. This work was

carried out to promote and improve the reading

comprehension of sixth-grade students of the

INEM educational institution of Pasto, taking

into account the theoretical concepts of some

authors to try to solve the problem posed. For

this, they applied didactic workshops to check

the problem and to advance in the same, as well

as the execution of dierent games that helped

in the achievement of the proposed objectives.

Thus, they observed that the game, as a didactic

strategy, can contribute to improving reading

comprehension, oering the possibility of

promoting positive attitudes towards reading. It

is evident, then, the importance of this study in

the present research, since it is an essential part

of the development of the problem statement

and strategies to promote reading.

All these studies show that the child should be

presented with dierent alternatives that lead

him/her to be part of the wonderful world of

reading so that he/she can broaden his/her

panorama.

The research Development of reading activity

based on playful experiences, by Castañeda

and Rosado (2016) states that games oer

the student the possibility of becoming an

active being, practicing the language in real

situations, being creative with the language,

and feeling comfortable and enriching

environment that gives him/her condence to

express him/herself. The study was of a cross-

sectional descriptive type, to determine the

reading habits of sixth-grade students of the

Joaquín Ochoa institution, in a universe of 34

students. The concept of learning strategy is

dened as the planning that teachers must

constantly carry out, to provide students with a

clear explanation at the time of teaching their

classes. Thus, as Guerrero (2019) mentions:

It is important that teachers promote the

use of learning strategies in students,

supported by direct teaching and modeling;

likewise, promoting the use of learning

strategies in students favors self-regulation,

metacognition, self-evaluation, autonomy,

and continuous reection (para. 6).

Thus, through these playful activities, the

students of the Joaquín Ochoa Maestre

Educational Institution in the city of Valledupar,

improved their reading habits, developing their

learning with the procedures adopted by the

teacher, achieving strategic, independent, and

eective learning, which demonstrates the

importance of this type of strategies for the

strengthening of learning.

Among the great variety of studies and

research related to the game as a knowledge

strategy to improve reading levels, we can

mention Santiesteban and Velázquez (2012),

who state that “the teaching of reading and its

comprehension occupies a preponderant place

within the curricula, as it is the basis of the rest

of the subjects” (p. 104); likewise, they state the

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

importance of reading in all subjects and in the life of each individual; therefore, the game strategy

adopted for the research, helped greatly for the development of the study, since it complemented

previous research, providing a new analysis and results that helped to improve the reading process

of children in terms of interpretation and understanding of dierent types of texts; at the same time,

this will contribute to future studies related to the topic.

Methodology

A detailed description is given of the methodological design that was carried out to gather the

necessary and sucient information for the resolution of the problem to be addressed, as well as

the objectives set. Considering its nature and the fundamental principles of its purpose, it can be

stated that it is framed in the constructivist paradigm, as Guba and Lincoln (2002) refer: “Its form

and content depend on the individuals or groups that sustain those constructions” (p. 113). Thus,

the researcher will consider these constructions, not as absolute truths, but as alterable, as the

information modies certain realities and, at the same time, the underlying reality alters the report

collected.

To determine the method used in this research, the following considerations were taken into

account:

1. The teacher-researcher was an observer and, also, a guide of the process that took place in

the classroom.

2. The students were research subjects and active participants in the development of the

activities proposed in the implementation of this research.

Therefore, it can be armed that the method used was PAR, “seen as a practical inquiry carried

out by teachers, in a collaborative manner, with the purpose of improving their educational practice

through cycles of action and reection” (Latorre, 2005, p. 24).

The method of this research, on the other hand, is framed in the qualitative line. Hernández et

al. (2014) argue that “qualitative studies can develop questions and hypotheses before, during

or after data collection and analysis” (p. 9). Under this foundation, the exibility of the research

questions and the path that leads to the resolution of its objectives is projected.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Figure 1

Graphic representation of the methodological design

Source: Hernández et al. (2014)

As far as the unit of analysis, the present research took the students of the main branch of the

Eduardo Suárez Orcasita Educational Institution, to strengthen the skills of the reading process and

to be able to develop with them the necessary didactic strategies for strengthening these skills,

giving a greater and timely solution to the research problem. Based on the qualitative criteria, the

work unit was selected: out of a class of 35 students, 15 students were selected as a sample, due

to the health contingency of COVID-19, taking into account those students whose parents decided

that they could attend in person in an alternating mode.

Within the framework of the research, it was necessary to have dierent strategies for collecting

information, in the midst of the interaction with the unit of analysis and the work unit. Given the

qualitative nature, we worked with the technique of participant observation and, as an instrument,

the eld diary; these show a deeper look at the dierent visions of each of the participants indicated

in the work and analysis units. Self-assessment and didactic sequence instruments were also used.

Throughout the process, there were three stages that are directly related to each of the specic

objectives, as shown below:

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Table 1

Stages of the research

Stages (Colmenares, 2012) Actions

Detection and diagnosis of the research

problem.

Discovering the subject matter

Classroom diagnosis, direct observation of weaknesses

in the reading process.

Research questions

Background review

Denition of the research topic.

Construction of action and execution

plans

Design of research instruments: eld diary, self-

evaluation, and didactic sequence.

Work guides and design of materials for the implementation

of the games.

Permanent reection of those involved

in the research (Evaluation of the

action).

Collection and Data organization

Data analysis

Interpretation

Partial conclusions of the research

To achieve the proposed objectives, it was necessary to organize the research by stages, each one

aiming at a specic objective, as well as to use a technique and an instrument, as shown below:

Table 2

Stages, techniques, and instruments of gathering information

Stage Specic Objective Techniques Instruments Participants

Identify reading

situations with the

didactic strategy of the

game

Participant

Observation

Initial Self-

assessment

(diagnosis)

Didactic

sequence

Students of class 5-2

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

To implement games

in reading situations as

a didactic strategy to

strengthen the reading

process of students

from 5-2.

Participant

Observation

Field diary

(Implementation

of the didactic

sequence of the

game in reading

situations).

Teacher

Students of class 5-2

Analyzing reading

development through

play

Participant

Observation

Didactic

sequence

Final self-

evaluation

Students of class 5-2

Main objective: to strengthen the reading process by using the game as a didactic strategy in

reading situations. Specic objectives: to identify reading situations with the didactic strategy of

the game and to analyze reading development through the game.

Results

After going through the dierent stages of the research, it is necessary to show the results obtained

from the analysis of the implementation of the game as a didactic strategy in reading situations;

for this purpose, it is necessary to solve the main question through the sub-questions posed based

on the specic objectives.

Strauss and Corbin (2002) make an analysis in relation to the collection of information, being

fundamental to the achievement of truthful and faithful results to reality, as a characteristic of

qualitative research:

Doing open coding is like pung together a jigsaw puzzle. The analyst has to organize, sort the pieces

by color (which oen requires nocing small dierences in hue), and build a picture by pung the

individual pieces back in place. (p. 242)

To obtain the results and their corresponding analysis, it was necessary to collect the information

by means of the initial and nal self-evaluation instruments, didactic sequence, and eld diaries;

the analysis was carried out using the microanalysis and open coding technique proposed by

Strauss and Corbin (2002), as well as the analysis technique of a word cloud generator.

Thus, the resolution of each of the sub-questions posed at the beginning of the research was

undertaken, taking as a basis the theories presented in the state of the art and in the theoretical

framework. The analysis took place in three moments or stages: 1) Diagnostic or preliminary

phase; 2) Project implementation or execution phase; 3) Evaluation or nal analysis phase.

What reading situations do students in class 5-2 need to know to strengthen the reading

process? The analysis for this question considered the objective of strengthening the reading

process, using the game as a didactic strategy that was achieved with the diagnosis in which the

students expressed their opinion about their tastes, interests, and predilection for certain types of

texts. This was the starting point for the development of the texts that would be presented in the

second phase of this research. Thus, after applying the instrument to the students, an exhaustive

analysis was made based on the microanalysis and open coding proposed by Strauss and Corbin

(2002) as well as feedback on the dierent reading situations; we continued with the development

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

of the objectives, identifying the reading situations with the game strategy and with the analysis

of the reading development presented by the students in the dierent interventions proposed for

the study.

However, in the development of the analysis through the word generator called ‘Word Cloud’, as

shown in Figure 2, the preferences of the students were taken into consideration.

Figure 2

Word Cloud – Initial self-evaluation

Figure 2 shows the students’ preference for narrative texts, such as stories and legends; they

recall classic stories such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and legends such as ‘La Patasola’. The word

‘play’ stands out, showing a preference for traditional games and the importance of sharing these

recreational activities with friends and classmates. With this last nding, it is important to note

the relevance of the game within this research and the students’ preferences towards this aspect,

since it gives them greater interest and motivation, all of which serve as a basis for determining

the reading situations that students in class 5-2 need to know to strengthen the reading process.

Following the theory of Strauss and Corbin (2002), some relevant categories emerged. One of them

is the textual typology, among which narrative literary texts stand out, of which legends and stories

are the students’ favorites. This served as the basis for two ludic activities in which narrative texts,

both stories and legends, were the main focus.

Another signicant category is ‘Reading comprehension’ and the students’ perception of the reading

processes throughout their lives; it is clear that they relate reading with learning and through it,

they have a source of knowledge; however, it is also clear that it is not one of their favorite activities

in their free time, perhaps because it is related to complex or academic processes, and not as a

leisure activity.

It was also observed that, through the questions posed, some students had problems understanding

what they were being asked, so the teacher had to intervene several times to clarify the questions,

which showed the diculty they have in interpreting texts and questions.

Another fundamental category was: ‘Socio-aective relationships’, in which the importance of

friendships and companionship is appreciated. There is evidence of greater enjoyment of activities

in the company, from academic to social activities, such as games. Here, again, the importance of

play at this age (9-11 years old) is observed, and how essential it is to share all kinds of experiences

with their peers, which has a signicant impact on their learning.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

What characterizes the implementation of the game to strengthen the reading process of

students in class 5-2? Continuing with the development of the objectives and the analysis, this

question was mediated by the impressions obtained from the eld diary, which constituted a key

piece in the implementation of the research. The didactic sequences where each of the activities

was planned served as a basis for determining the characteristics of the implementation of the

game, to strengthen the students’ reading process. For this process, the microanalysis and open

coding proposed by Strauss and Corbin (2002) were again taken into account. On the other hand,

it was possible to evidence the approach of the categories that emerged in the research in the

descriptive matrix, where each situation and category was exhaustively analyzed.

Figure 3

Categories emerging from the eld diary

Reading. In the rst sessions of the research, students showed diculty in intonation and

punctuation when reading, which was evidenced and reected in the eld diary. It should be noted

that the teacher’s management is key once they begin to read, when they should be taught to read

as it should be, with the appropriate tone of voice that allows them to understand the message. The

diculty was also observed when reading mentally. It can be armed that the games presented

helped them to strengthen their reading process since there were several moments for reading:

1. First reading of recognition of the text.

2. Specic reading to prepare for the game.

3. Final reading to be able to nd specic details of the text and answer comprehension

questions.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

In the rst part of the sessions, students’

confusion and diculty in identifying and

dierentiating some types of texts, such as

narrative, expository, and advertising, as well

as establishing concepts related to literature,

could be noticed, and although they recognized

a narrative text, it was dicult for them to

dene its characteristics, and only under the

teacher’s guidance, they could dene them. On

the contrary, they showed strength in identifying

instructive, descriptive, and journalistic texts.

Given the diculties in recognizing each type

of text at the beginning of the session, the

teacher decided to write each of the text types

on one side of the board to facilitate the activity.

Students had diculty remembering and

relating the words ‘expository’ and ‘biography’;

they were confused and did not respond.

The games worked on in this rst part allowed

us to see the students’ shortcomings in

understanding a text, either because they were

unable to determine the position of an author

(critical level) or because they inferred ideas

that were not explicit in the text (inferential

level). In this regard, it should be remembered

what Moreno et al. (2010) expressed that

the inferential level highlights the agility in

lateral displacements, classication operations,

and seriation with a systemic and syntactic

approach; as for the critical level, they highlight

a characteristic, problem solving, creation of

arguments, decoding of codes.

In the development of the second part of the

implementation, the students showed a great

facility for the comprehension and resolution

of questions in narrative, informative, and

instructive texts. This allows us to conclude

that, although they signicantly improved their

comprehension of the dierent types of texts, it

is still dicult for them to give a clear concept

of what they know, even when they have the

ideas and the learning of the text.

At the end of the second part of the sessions,

the students showed much more condence in

reading (in the rst sessions they had to be

chosen to read; in the last sessions, they all

raised their hands to participate in the reading).

It could also be seen that reading aloud

was especially revealing for them to better

understand the texts; a slight improvement in

mental reading was observed since they were

able to do it with better concentration and

without making so many sounds while reading.

Evaluation. In this space, students had the

opportunity to evaluate their peers, putting

into practice the hetero-evaluation, which

served as a strategy to assess the dierent

roles played by them. Thus, in this exercise,

it was proposed to provide the stimulus of

increasing tenths in the grade, as a means of

evaluation. During the second part, the process

was more constant and the students continued

to be a fundamental part; they worked on their

capacity for analysis, not only of what was done

by their classmates but also at the moment of

evaluating themselves.

Teacher management. During this category,

the role of the teacher was key at the time of

directing the dierent sessions of the research,

since she served as a guide to clarify doubts in

the moments of confusion of the students in

the face of the questions that arose. In many

moments of the sessions in this rst part, it

could be observed that the students were more

fearful of participating or expressing their ideas;

hence the relevance of her role in motivating

them.

Unlike the rst part of the sessions, in the

second part, the teacher’s participation was

less, since the students’ participation increased

considerably. Her role became, then, to be a

motivator and guide, to clarify or conclude the

ideas given by the children.

Students’ motivation and interest. In

this rst category of analysis, throughout

the dierent sessions, the students of class

5-2 were attentive and open to the idea of

implementing this research, since when we

mentioned that it was based on games, they

felt motivated and expectant. Motivation and

interest were also evident in all the games

presented, especially in those where they had

role-playing games such as ‘Master Chef’ or

‘YouTubers’. The activities they remembered

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

the best and therefore enjoyed the most were

the ones they worked on in the second part of

the sessions.

Student participation. In the rst part and

session of the research, student interventions

were scarce, but they increased signicantly

as the sessions progressed, which went hand

in hand with the comprehension process, since

the more they understood the texts, the more

they participated.

Once the second part of the implementation

was completed, it was possible to observe

greater participation and motivation than in the

previous sessions, mainly because of the type

of texts worked on: instructive, narrative, and

journalistic that attracted their attention. It can

also be said that this personal motivation for this

type of texts made them feel more condent

to express their opinions and feelings about

the whole process that was carried out, which

made their participation increase signicantly.

How is the reading process developed

through games in reading situations

as a didactic strategy? The analysis of

this question was mediated by the answers

obtained in the nal self-evaluation, in which

the students expressed their opinion about

their tastes, interests, and preferences

for certain types of texts. Thus, after the

application of the self-assessment instrument,

a thorough analysis was carried out, based on

the microanalysis and open coding proposed

by Strauss and Corbin (2002). Likewise, in the

last session, feedback on the dierent reading

situations and an exercise to identify the types

of texts (instructional, journalistic, expository,

narrative, descriptive) expressed in the didactic

sequence were carried out to verify how much

they had learned.

The above served as a basis for determining

the impact of learning on students; at the

same time, it served as a fundamental basis for

strengthening the reading process, resulting in

the following categories and ndings:

Text Typology. At the end of the research, it

can be proved that the students of course 5-2

better assimilated the dierent types of texts,

identifying more precisely their characteristics,

showing a preference for narrative texts as

well as for the type of journalistic informative

text. It should be noted that in this reading

situation, they played the game ‘YouTubers in

action’, which caught their attention and allowed

them to better understand and interpret the

message of the texts presented. An interest in

the instructional texts, which were worked on in

a session through cooking recipes, where they

had the opportunity to use costumes related to

the topic, made them feel very motivated and

happy. Thus, when expressing their preferences

for the type of texts, several students chose the

instructional texts because they were attracted

by the dynamics of the game, in addition to being

familiar with the context of this type of text.

Reading. The above statements suggest that

the reading process was strengthened by the

didactic strategy of the proposed game. Within

the framework of the research, the students of

course 5-2 were satised with the activities and

there was a general perception of improvement

in their concentration and reading skills.

It can be assured that they found reading a

conspicuous activity to do in their free time,

in addition to the other activities they usually

develop.

Reading aloud was a strategy that was used

throughout the implementation, and it

attracted more and more of their attention; the

students’ perception at the end of the sessions

was one of condence and security in doing it,

and it gave them all the opportunity to put it

into practice. The fact of working with a small

number of students allowed each one to live

the experience several times and to hear the

recommendations for improving reading skills.

Reading Comprehension. The perception of

the students regarding their comprehension

process of the dierent texts presented in the

research was, for the most part, that their ability

to analyze and interpret the texts improved.

Their opinion about reading, compared to the

one they had before the research, improved

because the didactic strategy used (the game)

served as an invigorating element of the reading

process and allowed them to perceive that their

communicative skills improved.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Another aspect to be considered in this

category is the cooperative learning that took

place among all the participants in interpreting

and later solving the questions inherent in each

text; when one of them answered a question,

the others gave their opinion on the answer

and made their own contributions. In this

way, a space was created in which everyone

collaborated in learning, which at the same time

increased the level of reading comprehension.

Socio-aective relations. It can be armed

that socio-aective relationships play a

transcendental role in the process of students’

reading skills since it is in the game where

they nd the maximum opportunity to interact

with each of their peers and, at the same time,

through shared knowledge is produced, where

feedback and listening to their peers is a key

part of the process. The nal self-evaluation

shows how much the students value the fact

that they have been able to share each of the

games and reading situations with their peers,

as it has helped them to deepen and improve

their knowledge.

In addition, it is important to mention that

although the students were in the midst of a

health crisis and were physically distant, this

did not prevent them from strengthening their

interpersonal relationships with their peers,

nor did it prevent them from fully enjoying

each of the proposed activities. Thus, the fact

of sharing each of the activities in person with

their peers, rather than virtually, allowed them

to better assimilate the knowledge, as there

was a clear motivation in the fact of being able

to be together.

Playfulness. Although the reading skills of

each student were strengthened during the

process of conducting the research, it is also

necessary to remember the importance of the

game as a didactic strategy that allowed the

results in the process. In the same context, the

students perceived the games as a new and

non-traditional way of learning.

Motivation and interest. From the evidence

obtained in the nal self-evaluation, it can be

observed that the students of 5-2 showed a

growing interest between the rst and the last

activity, mainly based on their motivation in

each of the proposed games, such as ‘Youtubers

in action’ and ‘Play to be Master Chef’, which

strongly captured their attention and increased

their interest and understanding of the topics.

Regarding the students’ perception of reading

now, compared to the one they had at the

beginning of the research, it can be armed that

their motivation and interest have improved,

and they have found in the reading process

an additional way to entertain themselves and

learn at the same time.

Discussion

What reading situations do students of 5-2

need to know to strengthen the reading

process? In the rst part of the ndings and

the implementation of the data collection

instruments, the testimony provided by the self-

evaluation regarding the preferences and tastes

of each of the research subjects was relevant

because it provided a starting point within the

framework of this study. Thus, categories such

as play, reading, comprehension, and socio-

aective relationships were key within this

analysis.

Among the reading situations that have

attracted the most attention from students at

this stage are narrative texts. In this regard,

Solé (1998) clearly shows their dierences and

characteristics, pointing out that the narrative

text “presupposes a chronological development

and aims to explain events in a given order”

(p. 15); among them, we can highlight stories,

legends, novels, fables, etc.

On the other hand, it is necessary to ensure

that play is one of the main interests of

students of school age, having it as one of their

main references when interacting with their

environment. In this regard, it is necessary to

remember Aquino and Sanchez (1999), who

emphasize the importance of play, expressing

that “it is fundamental for an adequate and

normal development of the child; therefore,

it must be present in their daily activities”

(p. 64). Thus, it can be seen how the game

was used as a didactic strategy to foster in

the students a greater interest in reading

processes, given their importance at this stage

of their lives, and, at the same time, it brought

about an improvement in the processes of

comprehension and interpretation of texts at

the literal, inferential and contextual levels.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

Likewise, “respect for their desire to play,

invent, and create is one of the fundamental

elements from which any education based on

respect for the interests and characteristics

of the child must start” (Aquino and Sanchez,

1999, p. 64), so the students of course 5-2

had as a basis the various activities presented

to have the opportunity to interact with other

classmates and rearm the socio-aective

relationships with them through play and the

established didactics.

What characterizes the implementation

of the game to strengthen the reading

process of students of 5-2? During this

phase of data collection, through the eld diary,

the teacher recorded each of the events that

took place in the classroom, whose students’

impressions of each of the proposed activities

were a fundamental piece of the research

exercise since, as Bonilla-Castro and Rodriguez

(2005) argue, “the eld diary can be a key

resource that allows the researcher to have

control over the process of scientic inquiry”

(p. 244). Thus, important categories such as

reading, motivation, student participation, and

comprehension emerged as a result of these

research records.

It is important to emphasize that the reading

process of the students of course 5-2 had a

growing development throughout this research,

because although in the rst sessions, they

were self-conscious and less participative,

with each session they felt more condent to

read aloud and much more familiar with the

interpretation of the texts, as evidenced by the

correct answers and uent readings.

Given this aspect, it is worth recalling

Barberousse-Alfonso and Vargas-Dengo

(2017), who express that:

Reading favors the creation of complex

thought structures for learning, language,

and communication. [...] one can discover

the world, reect and build a critical spirit to

play, expand the vocabulary, learn to think;

all reasons that justify the formation of the

habit of reading. (p. 130)

Thus, it can be armed that the students of

course 5-2 found in reading an additional space to

be able to communicate with their environment

(classmates, teachers, family), and to better

understand the world around them, through the

dierent types of texts. By nding a relationship

between the texts read and their context, they

were able to interpret them and assume reading

with much less diculty.

The process of comprehension and interpretation

of texts is a fundamental part of the results

shown by each of the students in course 5-2.

As could be observed in the analysis of results,

they showed diculties (especially in the rst

sessions) when interpreting at the inferential

and contextual levels, but not at the literal

level, where they showed great appropriation

of knowledge. Thus, Moreno et al. (2010)

refer to reading at textual, intertextual, and

contextual levels. Regarding the textual level, it

is observed that comprehension occurs through

the literal and alludes to basic meanings, so it

was very easy for them to solve questions in

this sense.

However, the intertextual level responds to

literal thinking: operations of classication,

seriation, etc., and inter-thematic, and it is

here where students showed confusion in

some cases, especially at the beginning of

the research, since interpretation is not linear,

but requires looking beyond the established,

detailing and rereading paragraphs to obtain

an answer. In addition, there is the contextual

level, which represents a real challenge for fth-

grade students, since it is a critical level, where

the creation of arguments and the resolution

of problems from the text are sought; it was

here where the teacher had to guide them to

solve the questions of this type; without her

guidance, they would not have achieved the

objective of the question.

How is the reading process developed

through games in reading situations as

a didactic strategy? In the identication

of reading, it was possible to evidence the

development of the reading process advanced

by the students of course 5-2 where, through

their experiences in the academic and personal

process, it was necessary to use the instrument

of the nal diagnosis to analyze the development

of the categories of reading and play, which

represent the fundamental axis of the research,

which were highlighted by the students.

According to the results, it can be inferred that

reading is now perceived by students as a less

complex skill and more related to meaningful

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

learning experiences, as a result of the incursion

of the didactic strategy. This rearms that

through reading we can discover the world,

reect, build, play, expand vocabulary, and learn

to think, which justies the formation of the

reading habit (Barberousse-Alfonso and Vargas-

Dengo, 2017). Consequently, the benets of

this practice in the life of the learners constitute

an important part of their development, and,

for this reason, the children of the course 5-2

managed to obtain, according to the results

of this research, a better appropriation of the

skills of the reading process.

Regarding the category, it should be

remembered that “it is also a learning tool

because it uses natural resources and materials

from the environment, which allow children to

promote their cognitive development through

the interaction they have with them” (Leyva-

Garzón, 2011, p. 87). Thus, the selection of

games for each of the situations is fundamental,

as they are an essential part of the process of

understanding and interpreting the dierent

texts presented in the implementation.

Likewise, the fact of sharing knowledge with

other students allowed a better appropriation of

it and reading was perceived not as a complex

process, but as accessible and facilitating

information.

Within this framework, it can be armed that

the results of the research point to highlighting

the didactic strategy of the game as a scenario

for learning, knowledge, social interaction,

and fun. It is necessary to remember that

“didactics considers the game as entertainment

that propitiates knowledge, at the same time

that produces satisfaction” (Minerva-Torres,

2002, p. 290); thus, the students of course 5-2

found in the game space to interact with their

classmates, but also a fundamental didactic tool

that allowed them to increase their knowledge

and improve their reading skills, in terms of

comprehension and interpretation.

It should be noted that the process of reading

comprehension in its literal, inferential, and

contextual levels, was strengthened through

the dierent activities presented since there

was interaction in various reading situations

that led students to analyze the texts and

interpret doubts at these levels. As for the

rst level, the process was reinforced by both

oral and written activities; the students were

condent and responded appropriately to each

of the questions. At the inferential level, the

process took them more time in each session,

since they had to reread paragraphs and make

relationships between ideas to interpret the

texts. At the contextual level, they had great

diculties, so the intervention of the teacher

was necessary to guide them through the text

and solve the questions posed. Given this, it is

necessary to ratify that the study signicantly

strengthened the reading process in the three

levels, in each of the children of 5-2 and, at the

same time, it meant a continuous improvement

to recognize and dierentiate reading situations

such as instructive, expository, narrative,

informative, journalistic texts, which were

immersed during this research.

Conclusions

It can be said that play has a dual purpose:

to promote cognitive abilities in children and

to become part of their integral, social, and

imaginative development. Nowadays, school

becomes a scenario for students to interact

with their surroundings through play and help

them to stimulate their knowledge of dierent

cognitive skills.

All reading situations are important since each

text carries with it a purpose and it is the reader

who must decode that message and understand

its intention. However, it is also clear how, in

the reading process, some levels or instants

are key at the moment of interpreting these

dierent types of texts or reading situations.

Under this understanding, it is possible to

highlight the importance of reading in school

life, which entails the intrinsic need to seek

innovative and motivating strategies on the part

of teachers to signicantly improve the reading

process. The game, then, becomes a possible

strategy, given its spontaneous nature and, at

the same time, a transformative learning tool

in the classroom.

Conict of interest

The authors of this article declare that they have

no conict of interest in the work presented.

The game: a didactic strategy to strengthen the reading process

Maira Esther Arrieta Mier

Juana Judith Mieles Palacín

Gustavo Adolfo González Roys

Revista Criterios - 30 (1) January-Juny 2023 Rev. Criterios - pp. 65-81

ISSN: 0121-8670, ISSN Electrónico: 2256-1161

https://doi.org/10.31948/rev.criterios

Universidad Mariana, San Juan de Pasto, Nariño, Colombia.

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Contribution

All authors participated in the preparation of

the manuscript, read and approved it.