Lectura compartida en voz alta y comprensión de textos en estudiantes de 11 a 14 años: resultados de una investigación- intervención para prevenir el abandono escolar temprano

Recent national and international assessments OECD-PISA and INVALSI highlight a con- cerning decline in reading comprehension among Italian students, particularly during the transition from primary to secondary school, with significant territorial and socio-economic disparities. Shared reading aloud has emerged in the literature as an effective practice to enhance cognitive, linguistic, emotional and relational skills, while promoting educational equity and inclusion. This study presents findings from the Lettrici e Lettori Forti project, part of the PRIN Aloud! initiative, aimed at preventing ear- ly school leaving and promoting equal learning opportunities. It investigates the longitudinal impact of shared reading aloud on the listening comprehension of lower secondary students (ages 11-14), a group underrepresented in existing research. The quasi-experimental design involved 12 classes (199 students) in Parma, divided into a control group (standard curriculum) and an experimental group (nar- rative training). Listening comprehension was measured at three points using the standardized CO-TT test. Quantitative data were analyzed via repeated-measures ANOVA, and qualitative data were drawn from teachers’ logbooks. Results show a significantly greater improvement in the experimental group, with sustained effects over time. The study supports integrating shared reading aloud into secondary school curricula to foster students’ cognitive, social, and civic development.