ABSTRACT

In the context of increasingly digital and multimodal reading environments, contemporary literacy demands a redefinition of comprehension skills. Digital literacy now encompasses the ability to interpret, integrate, and communicate information across diverse formats and platforms. Despite the shift in media, the cognitive processes underpinning comprehension—such as inference generation and critical engagement with text—remain essential.

This research project explores how different instructional designs support reading comprehension across media. A four-group experimental study involved students engaging with the same texts through three modalities: traditional paper-based reading, digital screen-based tasks, and a creative game using texts sequences as magnets. Each approach was implemented through structured sessions, either individually or in pairs, and compared to a control group following standard curriculum practices. The study aimed to validate strategic, replicable teaching protocols that can be integrated into everyday classroom practice. Effectiveness was assessed through standardized measures of comprehension, creative thinking, school well-being, and the Learn to Learn (L2L) competence. Teachers participated in a professional development-research program, through which they employed classroom observations as tools for formative assessment, specifically aimed at capturing and evaluating students’ cognitive processes during text comprehension activities.