Development of Reading Comprehension and Oral Expression Skills that Contribute to the Study of Nicaraguan Folk Dance

Abstract

The research aimed to strengthen reading comprehension and oral expression skills in first-year students of the Dance program at UNAN-Managua through the study of Nicaraguan folk dance, promoting communication, cultural identity, and appreciation of the national artistic heritage. These competencies are essential for the development of critical thinking, analytical abilities, and the contextual interpretation of academic and cultural content. It was developed under the socio-critical paradigm with a qualitative approach, applying questionnaires and focus groups to gather students' perceptions of their learning. Workshops were implemented as an active participatory methodology, creating spaces for co-construction of knowledge, reflective analysis, and artistic practice, integrating the reading of academic texts and the experience of folk dance. The results show that most participants have a basic knowledge of folk dance, highlighting the need to reinforce its teaching in educational contexts. Reading and analyzing specialized texts, along with dance practice, promote the development of cognitive, expressive, and communicative skills, including reading comprehension, oral expression, idea organization, and appreciation of the cultural and aesthetic elements of Nicaraguan folklore. The importance of involving traditionalists and experts was emphasized to ensure the authentic transmission of folkloric roots and to foster cultural identity in new generations. Likewise, the use of digital media and social networks broadens the dissemination and awareness of folk dance.It is concluded that dance constitutes a lifestyle that liberates, connects, and transforms those who practice it, strengthening both personal and collective identity, as well as discipline, creativity, and self-confidence