The Branching Reader Challenge as a strategy for transforming literary habits

Abstract

The article analyzes the limitations present in the teaching of literature within the Salvadoran educational system. Based on a diagnosis of current practices, methodological deficiencies are identified that reduce reading to mechanical and insignificant activities. Given this scenario, the study proposes an intervention based on gamification, called the Ramified Reader Challenge (RLR), a strategy applied in the fifth grade of the Centro Escolar Católico «Nuestra Señora del Refugio». The study was developed with an interpretive and plurimethodological approach, combining curricular diagnosis, teacher interviews and pre- and postintervention measurements with quantitative and qualitative instruments. The project incorporated the use of digital platforms, challenges, badges and collaborative work to transform the perception of reading and promote the development of literary competence. The results show improvements in motivation, reading commitment and critical appropriation of texts by students. It is concluded that gamification, applied with pedagogical support, constitutes a viable strategy to redefine the literary experience and promote meaningful reading habits in the Salvadoran school environment.