La importancia de las estrategias de lectura crítica en la comprensión de textos científicos

Critical reading is an essential skill in the academic field, especially for the comprehension of scientific texts, which require in-depth and detailed analysis. This skill not only allows for understanding the content but also for analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating its foundations, which is essential for high school students, who are faced with more complex and specialized content. Through specific strategies such as formulating questions, creating summaries, and identifying main ideas, students develop an analytical approach that allows them to distinguish between facts and opinions, identify biases and fallacies, and evaluate the validity of conclusions presented in texts. These skills not only improve comprehension but also foster independent thinking, critical evaluation skills, and sound argumentation, which are essential for both academic development and personal and professional life. The quantitative study focused on a survey of 15 high school teachers who teach science subjects. The results showed that 86.7% of teachers use critical reading strategies, albeit intermittently. The most frequently used strategies were question-posing and summary-writing, but less emphasis was found on the in-depth evaluation of scientific arguments and evidence. This finding suggests that, although teachers recognize the importance of critical reading, there is still a gap in its systematic implementation. Despite these efforts, lack of student interest remains a key challenge limiting the effectiveness of these strategies. This finding underscores the urgent need to integrate critical reading practices more systematically into the academic curriculum, while fostering student interest through more dynamic and participatory pedagogical approaches, in order to achieve deeper understanding and the development of more robust analytical skills that are transferable to diverse areas of knowledge.