Development of inferences, cognitive processes and reading speed of texts written in three school districts in Lima, Peru

Abstract

This is a comparative correlational research aimed to investigate the predictability of speed reading and cognitive processes in syntactic and semantic levels when making inferences; also to find their relationships and to compare each with the type of school management and the age in 304 students in 4th and 5th grades in primary school in the districts of Los Olivos, Comas, San Juan de Lurigancho, San Martin de Porres and Carabayllo, located in Lima, Peru. Pruebas de medición de procesos cognitivos de la Batería BECOLE (BECOLE measurement of cognitive processes test) by Galve (2005); prueba evaluación de elaboración inferencial-PELI (PELI assessment of making inferences test) (PELI) by Holguin (2013) and medición de la velocidad lectora temporalizada-METVELO3 (METVELO 3 - reading speed timing measurement); were used. The instruments responded in favor of reliability, content and construction. Reading speed was the first causal factor of making inference and the second was the semantic process. There were differences due to the type of management in favor of private institutions and according to age. 70% of the students in Carabayllo district showed the highest inference level.