Linguagem escrita na Educação Infantil: o que dizem as professoras?

Abstract

The appropriation of written language is essential for the cultural development of children and their active participation in literate society. However, misconceptions and inappropriate practices related to written language in Early Childhood Education continue to pose significant challenges. This dissertation, entitled "Written language in Early Childhood Education: what do teachers say?", seeks to answer the following question-problem: how do the conceptions of Early Childhood Education teachers influence pedagogical practices and, consequently, the process of learning written language among children aged four and five? From the Historical-Cultural Theory and the Historical-Dialectical Materialism, this research has as its general objective to analyze the conceptions of teachers about the teaching of written language, reflecting on its practical implications. The motivation for this study lies in the need to ensure that all children have access to written language in its most elaborate form, as well as to improve educational practices related to the teaching of written language, considering that an adequate approach can profoundly impact child learning and development. The methodology used includes literature review in two databases, bibliographic research in works and authors specialized in the theme and fieldwork with the application of participant observation techniques and focus groups. Due to practical limitations, data collection was centered on focus groups, allowing for more detailed information on the teachers' conceptions. Data analysis was performed based on the categorization of the results according to the pre-established keywords: Written language, reading, literature and teacher's role. The study sample was composed of nine Early Childhood Education teachers who serve children aged four and five years in two different educational institutions. Of the teachers participating in the research, seven belong to the public Early Childhood Education network (Municipal Center for Early Childhood Education) and two teachers belong to a private institution, both located in Manaus. The results revealed significant variations in the teachers' conceptions: some adopt a reductionist technical view of writing, while others see it as a complex process involving symbolic elements and real contexts. The conclusion of this research points out that the effectiveness of the teaching of written language is linked to the theoretical and practical knowledge of the teachers and to the adequate incorporation of the precursor stages of writing in pedagogical practices. In addition, it highlights that literature, when not reduced to didactic purposes, enriches the educational process and contributes to the integral development of children. By highlighting the need for a robust theoretical approach, aligned with the principles of Historical-Cultural Theory, and intentional pedagogical practices, this study can contribute to the themes developed in the Education, Interculturality and Human Development in the Amazon Research Line.