Viera Project Aims to Improve Reading Skills in the Canary Islands

The Viera Project, initiated by the Canary Islands Ministry of Education, addresses the pressing issue of reading comprehension among students in the region.

PISA Report Highlights Educational Deficiencies

The recent PISA report (Programme for International Student Assessment) has identified the Canary Islands as one of the areas with the lowest performance in mathematics, reading, and science. In light of these findings, the Ministry of Education has launched the Viera Project to tackle these challenges. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance educational outcomes, responding to a significant decline in performance metrics since 2012.

The primary goal of the Viera Project is to convert information into actionable knowledge while fostering a culture of reading among students. This initiative is already being implemented in numerous classrooms across the archipelago.

Scope and Implementation of the Viera Project

Since its launch in September, the Viera Project has reached approximately 43,437 students across 143 schools in the Canary Islands. Around 400 teachers are involved in the project, providing essential support through mentorship, coordination, and co-teaching. Ana Muñoz, who leads the Linguistic Communication Competence Area at the Ministry of Education, emphasizes that the project aims to enhance students’ linguistic skills through targeted reading initiatives in primary and secondary education, as well as Basic Vocational Training.

Training for educators is a critical component of the project, with a strong emphasis on reading mediation. Muñoz notes that the term mediation reflects the recognition of existing challenges in reading comprehension among young learners. The project aims to address the limited exposure students have to diverse texts, which often hampers their understanding.

Innovative Educational Strategies

The Viera Project employs a structured educational approach centered on three main areas: reading as a fundamental learning tool, media and information literacy, and the integrated treatment of languages. By equipping students with the necessary tools to comprehend various forms of text, the initiative acknowledges the importance of reading across multiple platforms.

For instance, at IES Mencey Bencomo in Los Realejos, students engage with a variety of texts, including comic strips, social media content, and videos, to illustrate that comprehension extends beyond traditional literature. This approach encourages critical thinking and helps students navigate different types of information.

Additionally, the project incorporates discussions on relevant societal issues, such as the housing crisis in the Canary Islands, where students analyze visual data like cartoons and graphs. This method integrates reading comprehension into all subjects within the compulsory education curriculum.

Mentor Julio Santamaría supports the implementation of the program in northern Tenerife, ensuring that reading skills are integrated into various subjects. Muñoz highlights the importance of allowing students to express their opinions freely, fostering an environment where they can explore ideas without the constraints of grades.

Support for At-Risk Students and Cultural Promotion

The Viera Project also focuses on providing additional support for vulnerable students by offering extra reading hours in the afternoons. These sessions are designed to provide individualized attention, allowing teachers to assist students who require more help.

Another significant aspect of the Viera Project is its commitment to promoting Canary Spanish and local literature within the educational framework. A self-directed course titled “Addressing Linguistic Diversity: Canary Spanish in Our Educational and Heritage Context” has been introduced, with 382 teachers and future educators completing it since its launch in March.

Collaborative efforts with the Canary Academy of Language have also commenced, aiming to enhance the educational resources available, including the revitalization of the Lexican tool and the reissuing of “My First Dictionary of Canaryisms.” These initiatives seek to ensure that Canary literature is more prominently represented in schools throughout the archipelago.

Key points

• The Viera Project was launched by the Canary Islands Ministry of Education to improve reading comprehension.
• It was initiated in response to the PISA report highlighting low educational performance in the region.
• The project currently supports 43,437 students across 143 schools.
• Around 400 teachers are involved in providing mentorship and reading support.
• Additional reading hours are offered for vulnerable students to enhance their learning experience.
• The project promotes Canary Spanish and local literature through various educational initiatives.