THE CONTENT OF LITERACY

elements for a curricular debate

Abstract

Debates in the field of literacy have often focused on methodological issues and, in a more recent historical period, on children's learning processes. The article brings results of studies that have been developed by the authors with a focus on valuing the contents and conceptual aspects of literacy, in line with the theoretical assumptions of Historical-Critical Pedagogy and Historical-Cultural Psychology. The contents suggested by curricular proposals that are based on these assumptions (such as those implemented in the state of Paraná since the 1990s) are analyzed in more depth, in comparison with the documents that outline national guidelines for this teaching, such as the Curricular Parameters National. Among other aspects, we seek to address: the issue of literacy content suggested by these curricular proposals and teacher training programs that mediate proposals with practice in the classroom; the importance of forming scientific concepts about the written language (gender, text, phrase, word, syllable and phoneme / letter) and its relationship with the empirical perception resulting from the daily use of the language. We conclude that these concepts, organized and taught in a systematic way, are fundamental for the formation of a theoretical and critical attitude towards the phenomena of language. Thus, we seek to point to the potential of Historical-Critical Pedagogy and Historical-Cultural Psychology to support the development of curricular proposals that go beyond the limits of both traditional concepts and constructivist and eclectic approaches to literacy.