Reading in school: an unfinished intercultural practice

Abstract

The teaching of reading in upper secondary schools in Mexico requires young people to develop a reading style focused on information retrieval, analysis, and text production, prioritizing a utilitarian view that does not consider the different ways of reading influenced by contemporary digital culture. The objective of this study was to analyze how teaching methods condition students' reading practices, considering the interaction between text, reader, and sociocultural context, and how reading can be conceived as a sociocultural and intercultural act that promotes autonomous and meaningful interpretations. A qualitative approach was used, based on classroom observation, analysis of curricula and syllabi, and a review of literature on reading, education, and digital culture. The results show that school practice prioritizes instrumental reading, oriented toward completing tasks, limiting the possibility of independent interpretations and generating resistance to reading. However, when conceived as a sociocultural and intercultural practice, students can interpret texts in relation to their own culture and experiences, integrating emotions and embodiment, and constructing meaning from the interaction between text, author, and context. It is concluded that fostering reading as an intercultural act allows for contextualizing the text, the reader, and the author, promoting pedagogical strategies that recognize subjectivity, digital culture, and the construction of meaning, thus contributing to the development of critical, autonomous, and socio-culturally aware readers.