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https://doi.org/10.69639/arandu.v11i2.281

The influence of the CommonLit platform on the development of

reading skills as an academic reinforcement for A2 students

La influencia de la plataforma CommonLit en el desarrollo de las habilidades lectoras como

refuerzo académico para los alumnos A2

mbajarosal@gmail.com

bjohnsy@icloud.com

Artículo recibido: 20 julio 2024 - Aceptado para publicación: 26 agosto 2024

Conflictos de intereses: Ninguno que declarar

ABSTRACT

Ecuador, a country of privileges due to its geographical location, has varied socio-ideological and

cultural influences that significantly impact the learning and acquisition of a foreign language. Few

students are aware of the importance of English. However, many do not feel a real interest in or the need

to use the language in their daily activities in a society where they only try to cover a momentary

as the main tool to improve their reading skills by addressing challenges according to different levels of

English proficiency. In this sense, with the platform's interactive activities, adaptive learning tools, and

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variety of interesting information, participants' reading abilities significantly improve, according to the

findings. Therefore, the CommonLit platform is a useful tool for students who intend to achieve A2 in

their reading development since it enhances the academic level and cultivates an enduring enjoyment

for reading.

Keywords: commonlit platform, level a2, reading skills

RESUMEN

emocionales, como lo refleja el estudio cuantitativo realizado, que sugiere fortalecer su adquisición

mediante un método cualitativo que promueva su interés voluntario. en comprensión lectora, así lo

afirma la encuesta y observación de clases realizada en el Primero “A” de Contabilidad de la Unidad

Educativa Isabel de Godín de Riobamba. Por lo tanto, la implementación de la plataforma CommonLit

determinará el progreso académico y el dominio lector como principal herramienta para mejorar sus

habilidades lectoras abordando desafíos según los diferentes niveles de dominio del inglés. En este

sentido, las actividades interactivas de la plataforma, las herramientas de aprendizaje adaptativa y la

variedad de información interesante mejoran significativamente las habilidades de lectura de los

estudiantes, según la investigación. Por lo tanto, La Plataforma CommonLit es una herramienta útil para

los estudiantes que desean alcanzar A2 en su desempeño lector, ya que mejora su nivel académico y

Todo el contenido de la Revista Científica Internacional Arandu UTIC publicado en este sitio está disponible bajo licencia

Creative Commons Atribution 4.0 International.

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INTRODUCTION

The academic learning of the English language requires a process of social inclusion in a

globalized world that incorporates dynamic communication through motivated behavior and

involvement in technological advances as a contribution to education. Therefore, it is timely to address

different levels of difficulty, teachers can choose challenging texts for their students, consequently, new

knowledge is solidified using additional resources such as comprehension questions and vocabulary

exercises.

Vygotsky's sociocultural theory highlights the social interactions and help structures available in

the Zone of Proximal Development. Students learn from the advice of more experienced peers or

professors when working within their ZPD. Through the discussion of various viewpoints, clarification

of concepts, and joint meaning-building, this collaborative approach allows students to acquire a greater

understanding of the material. Because they are supported by the collective knowledge and abilities of

their classmates, they can also attain a higher degree of understanding and analytical thinking than they

might on their own.

of the human being because it is a fundamental ability for communication, the acquisition of knowledge,

the development of imagination, and creativity.

skills.

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Previous literature in this field has laid a solid foundation for the current study, with research at

international, national, and local levels that has explored various aspects related to the topic in question,

including the effectiveness of the use CommonLit platform to develop teaching-learning process of

reading skills in a better way.

(Masuhara, 2013) distinguishes conventional reading education as a method that stresses

understanding through the post-reading questions which carry on the deficit in reading skills at a general

level in both the mother tongue and a second language is highly worrying (Qarqez, 2017), as is shown

in our school, where no one handles an important tool such as the CommonLit platform that allows

students to develop their reading skills in a better nor teachers improve their reading comprehension and

ICT skills since the lack of training and experience makes them uncomfortable with the technology,

(Noordan, 2022), Therefore, learners have difficulty in acquiring the fundamentals of reading, such as

a lack of exposure to a variety of texts, a lack of differentiated instruction and guided instruction, a lack

of opportunities for feedback and evaluation, and a lack of engagement opportunities.

In this sense, the following concerns should be addressed: How does it influence the development

of reading skills? What are its didactic and methodological contributions? What are the reading skills

that must be developed to improve reading?

Clearly, (Oroujlou, 2012) his article The Importance of Media in Foreign Language Learning,

(Norman, 2023) states effective global literacy interventions are essential for improving these

educational outcomes. In this sense, a virtual learning environment or online learning space and a

collection of computer tools facilitate interactive teaching methods so that students can perform

activities that are inherent to the student’s interest scope, like speaking, reading, writing, and completing

exercises, as well as questionnaires for themselves their partners or groups. (Dung, 2020), that is why,

accessible from anywhere and, currently, also from any device.

Thus, (Maffea, 2020) states to the absence of appropriate resources, students may find limitations

in their ability to comprehend concepts, practice skills, and apply what they have learned as well as

(Suárez, 2015) refers to CommonLit as an appropriate strategy for a comprehensive reading that allows

students to predict the text, formulate propositions, analyze the concepts expressed explicitly or

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In addition, these scientific contributions were crucial to carry out a comprehensive analysis and

validating the independent and dependent variables, along with their respective dimensions and

indicators. The most relevant studies in this area are presented below.

According to (Özdemi, 2017) his article emphasizes the variables that were used in research like

the independent variable that is selected by the dependent variable and is supposed to provide insight

into a problem's solution. For this reason, the CommonLit Platform is the variable that scientists test or

examine to evaluate the impact of changes made to the dependent variable, the teaching and learning

process of reading skills. It stands for the outcome, response, or effect that is being investigated in this

study.

In that respect, (Perdomo, 2022), examines the impact and effectiveness of CommonLit as a

digital educational tool, particularly in the context of the shift towards online learning during the

COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the effectiveness of the platform in improving the skills of reading

comprehension besides its recognition and use by a wide range of educators, librarians, students, and

parents. Positive feedback on how it impacts students' learning has been received. Its adaptability to

remote learning environments, together with its ability to offer captivating resources and easy

transitions, has made it a crucial tool in keeping education going during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, (Osorio, 2021), refers to the teaching-learning process as a modeled process that

use digital tools, resources, and technologies ethically and effectively to access, manage, assess,

integrate, create, communicate, and share information in a variety of contexts. It includes all the abilities,

actions, attitudes, and knowledge required to succeed in the digital age. While (Zhu, 2022) refers to

enhancing the learning process with various tools and features such as interactive word practice,

multimedia components, and glossary pop-ups. These resources help students acquire crucial reading

skills, fluency, and comprehension while also keeping them engaged.

As stated by (Park, 2012) reader response helps students find the pleasures of reading while also

helping them to read these texts critically and decipher them more effectively. Using a text to understand

and question the self, others, and the world means that when students interact with texts from their point

of view, they not only enjoy reading because they can relate to the content on a personal level but they

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parents. It aims to influence the Commonlit platform on the development of reading skills as an

academic reinforcement for students. In this context, learners are required to integrate the

communicative skills of the English language with those of reading comprehension and the necessary

ICT. She used an approach that allows her to customize training to each student's needs using online

reading functions, texts of excellent quality that are in line with guidelines, and data analyses. With a

combination of conventional

and electronic tools, this method ensures a comprehensive approach to learning where students

not only become more proficient readers but also more proficient language users overall.

Teaching the learning process of reading skills involves a range of methods and ideas proposed

by many writers. According to (Collins & Smith, 1980) many school reading courses do not aim to teach

the kinds of prediction skills and comprehension monitoring that we have covered. Instead, the curricula

emphasize the reader's ultimate interpretations, including the author's objectives, important ideas, and

the significance of individual words and sentences. This specific focus results from attempting to teach

reading as a process (i.e., the development of an interpretation) as opposed to reading as a product (i.e.,

the interpretation) (Lyon, 1998)

In addition, (Lemov, 2016)states that focusing on precise and perceptive reading is essential for

effectiveness so that it can be taught and acquired. Teachers must promptly detect the needs and

These include gap-filling, matching activities, and test selection, all of which foster critical thinking and

conversations. Furthermore, this will be even more valuable if we employ our recommended interactive

apps. Reading comprehension focuses on the interactive model of reading comprehension, which is a

top-down process that interacts with bottom-up processes such as word recognition. This point of view

emphasizes the significance of previous reading experience along with word recognition skills in

influencing comprehension. (Holmes, 2009).

According to current demands, strategies are crucial tools and techniques that teachers and

students should use to support comprehension, problem-solving, and skill development. (Afflerbach,

1990), states the metacognitive methods of proficient readers, which track comprehension while the

material is read, heavily rely on prediction. By helping readers to make connections between the text

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crucial to reading comprehension because it allows us to make predictions, compare, determine, and

analyze. This is necessary for meaningful and productive critical thinking.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

improving A2 student´s reading skills.(Creswell, 2007) refers to using non-numerical data such as

words, pictures, or observations. By using techniques such as class observations, surveys and text

analysis, it focuses on investigating meanings, experiences, and viewpoints.

(Ramos, 2010), states students' perceptions of the CommonLit platform's effectiveness in

helping them improve their ability to read. They examined topics such as its usefulness and confidence

instill. By analyzing this, they discovered how students' perceptions of the platform can differ and how

it impacts their learning.

The methodology of the work, due to the dynamism of the variables involved in the study focused

on an active and innovative learning process, uses theoretical-practical and metacognitive methods that

help analyze other variables in learning such as school performance, technical of study, language,

To evaluate the efficacy and effects of this research, some methodologies have been used to

collect information on user experiences and assess learning objectives, these strategies make use of

applications. Consequently, mixed approaches integrate both qualitative and quantitative data to provide

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Additionally, a systemic and functional approach is used to understand how the CommonLit

platform functions within the educational system and how each component students, teachers, and

technology- interact to contribute to the overall goal of improving reading skills. Furthermore, a

descriptive method a survey, and an observation class were applied in this research.

Moreover, the study was carried out in the academic year 2023-2024

Scheme of the design of the variables

S = sampling

IV = Independent Variable: The CommonLit Platform

DV= Dependent Variable: The teaching-learning process in reading skills

R = Relation

Population, sample, and sampling

The data collection applied was in the First A Accountancy with 24 students between 15 and 16

years and researchers have opted for whole population sampling, or census sampling, which offers a

comprehensive perspective of the population. Besides, the researchers are educators, who have direct

access to this particular student population within the school setting, ensuring thorough observation and

sufficient data gathering.

The selection of this sample of the student population was supported by its proximity and

methodically. This provided an extensive understanding of managing tasks as well as student

participation in the classroom.

Similarly, a survey was employed to learn more about their shortcomings and strengths.

Researchers get a clear image of the general skills and challenges of learners by examining the survey

responds to find common variations and trends.

To illustrate the challenges and strengths associated with each metric, statistical data is gathered

and presented in tables and graphs. It also illustrates the relationship between the two variables under

investigation: the dependent variable, which focuses on understanding what was being read, and the

independent variable, (Rice, 2007) are used for practical, descriptive instruction that emphasizes

computational methods.

The following Class Observation Sheet (see Table 1) was used with 24 students in First A

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reading class which offer a thorough framework for assessing comprehension of text and student

participation during the lesson. These metrics are intended to evaluate students' reading readiness, their

engagement with the text during instruction, and their ability to apply and report on their learning

thereafter.

Class Observation Sheet