Nationwide studies and evaluations performed in Brazil have shown that most elementary education students have difficulties in reading comprehension, despite the fact it is a skill that is essential for academic success. This study evaluates a Computerized Strategic Reading Program (Programa Informatizado de Leitura Estratégica - PILE) intended to improve reading comprehension of elementary school students. A total of 58 students attending from the 5th to 8th grades, with a mean age of 12.52 years, participated: 29 comprised the control group (CG) and 29 comprised the intervention group (IG). A Cloze test was used pre- and post-measurement. The PILE was administered for six weeks, totaling 19 meetings. There was significant improvement from the pre- to the post-measurements for levels of reading comprehension in both the IG and the CG. The IG experienced a greater impact from the intervention, suggesting that PILE was effective in improving reading comprehension among these students.
Elementary Education; Psychological Assessment; Reading Comprehension
