Reading speed and comprehension: planning the syllabus at university

• Published in: Bordon Vol. 63; no. 3; pp. 81 - 90
• Main Authors: Olmos-Migueláñez, Susana, Borham-Puyal, Miriam, García-Riaza, Blanca, Rodríguez-Conde, M José, Elorza, Izaskun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Academic achievement; Curriculum; Curriculum development; Educational planning; Educational research; Higher education; Pedagogy; Philology; Reading; Spain
• ISSN: 0210-5934

//ABSTRACT IN SPANISH: Este articulo analiza la carga de trabajo autonomo del estudiante nativo y extranjero, en relacion al tiempo de lectura de textos en varios idiomas. El calculo de tiempos de trabajo del estudiante en una tarea basica, como es la lectura, constituye uno de los aspectos mas controvertidos del sistema europeo de transferencia y acumulacion de creditos. El fin que persigue este trabajo es conocer el numero de lecturas adecuadas tanto al tiempo del que dispone el alumno como a la carga asignada en el nuevo sistema europeo de transferencia de creditos, con la pretension de proporcionar una formacion competente a los alumnos de las nuevas titulaciones de Grado en Filologia. La metodologia, pues, esta orientada a obtener datos sobre la velocidad y comprension de los alumnos cuando se enfrentan de forma autonoma a la lectura de un texto. Para ello, se realizo una prueba para la medicion de velocidad y comprension de lectura durante el curso 2007--]2008 con una muestra de alumnos de las titulaciones de Filologia Hispanica e Inglesa de la Universidad de Salamanca. Presentamos estimaciones sobre la duracion de las actividades de lectura que los estudiantes van a realizar como trabajo autonomo, para ser tenidas en cuenta a la hora de planificar las guias didacticas de los nuevos planes de estudio en las asignaturas de Literatura. Destacamos que la prueba implementada ha medido la velocidad y comprension de lectura de diversos textos exclusivamente literarios incluidos en los planes de estudio que se imparten en ambas titulaciones. //ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH: The present article analyses the autonomous volume of work of native and foreign students in relation with the amount of time spent reading required texts in different languages. The estimation time a student spends working on an essential task, as is reading, constitutes one of the most controversial aspects of the European system of credit transfer and accumulation. This research aims to determine what the appropriate number of readings would be, taking into account both the time available for the student and the value assigned to the task in the new European Credit Transfer System. In this sense, we want to provide the students of these new studies in Philology with a comprehensive formation. We have used, then, a methodology oriented toward the obtaining of data on studentsf speed and comprehension when they face the reading of a text on their own. With this purpose, we measured the reading speed and comprehension of students from the degrees of English and Hispanic Studies at the University of Salamanca during the year 2007--]2008. We have made estimates on the length of reading activities that students have to carry out as an autonomous task, so as to take them into consideration when planning the syllabi for new Literature subjects. Finally, we highlight the fact that the implemented test has measured the reading speed and comprehension of exclusively literary texts, all included in the academic programs of the subjects that are presently taught in both degrees at the University of Salamanca.