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exercise that makes it possible to evaluate both
what is explicitly expressed and the underlying
intentions of the discourse. However, in the
school environment, this transformative
potential is often limited due to pedagogical
practices that reduce it to a mechanical or
instrumental activity, stripping it of its
reflective dimension (Lerner, 2012). This
denaturalization of the act of reading, far from
encouraging autonomous thinking, can turn
reading into a meaningless obligation, which
affects the construction of genuine reading
habits and the development of a critical attitude
towards texts.
Therefore, early access to reading plays a
fundamental role in the cognitive and emotional
development of children. Given that reading
ability is not innate, but the result of a
progressive learning process, it is essential to
foster in students a sensitivity that leads them to
experience reading not as an academic
obligation, but as a source of enjoyment and
personal enrichment (Ministerio de Educación
del Ecuador, 2019). Reading is not static, but
dynamic. Each new interaction with the text
broadens the ways of understanding the world.
Thus, it fosters a permanent dialogue between
the reader's subjectivity and the multiple voices
contained in the texts, which enriches his
perception of himself and his environment
(Ramírez Leyva, 2009). It becomes a tool for
the formation of critical thinking and the
consolidation of their identity. Despite the role
that reading plays in intellectual and social
development, Ecuador is among the countries
with the lowest rates of reading habits in the
region, which significantly limits access to the
benefits of interacting with texts (Pino, 2021).
As a result, the potential that reading offers as a
tool for the integral formation of individuals and
the strengthening of the cultural and social
fabric is wasted.
In Ecuadorian territory, the average annual
reading per person is one completed book and
two unfinished books, a figure that shows the
low reading practice in the country (Ministerio
de Cultura y Patrimonio, 2022). This
phenomenon responds to multiple social,
cultural and educational factors. In this sense,
Crespo (2022) points out that, in the case of
children and adolescents, specifically those in
the 5 to 11 and 12 to 17 age ranges, the scarcity
of reading materials that are attractive to their
interests and the absence of adequate spaces for
recreational reading constitute obstacles to the
consolidation of the reading habit. In addition,
it is noted that the reading activity of these age
groups is mostly limited to school texts, which
reduces their perception of reading as a
pleasurable activity and associates it, instead,
with an academic obligation. The use of
traditional narratives, deeply rooted in the
history, culture and traditions of peoples, offers
an invaluable pedagogical resource for teaching
and learning dynamics. These narratives, being
novel material and in many cases, little explored
by students, awaken their curiosity and
encourage reading motivation, promoting a
deeper exploration of knowledge.
At the same time, this literature connects with
the receiver, generating an affective response
that enriches the reading experience. Through
these stories, it transforms and leaves traces in
the memory and sensitivity of those who read it,
becoming a vehicle for introspection and the
development of emotional intelligence
(Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador, 2018).
Myths and legends are valuable pedagogical
tools that, in addition to transmitting cultural
knowledge and collective values, favor the
construction of deep and meaningful learning.
Their impact on education lies in their ability to
generate an emotionally enriching experience in
the recipients, which enhances the assimilation