Literacy: a concept in (des) construction and its implications / effects in action in firts language teaching

Abstract

This article focuses on the phenomenon of literacy. This qualitative and ethnographic approach aims at answering the following question: What are the implications of the (de)construction of the literacy concept for the practice of mother tongue teachers at schools? The empirical study was carried out over one semester at two primary education public schools and included interactions with six professionals, including Portuguese teachers and Literacy teachers. The theoretical background is based on Street (1984, 1988, 2003), Barton (1994), Barton, Hamilton and Ivanic (2000) and Hamilton (2000). The results indicate impermeability and permeability regarding teacher practice enlightened by theories from this field. The impermeabilities seem to correspond to hybridity proposals between local literacies and global literacies. The permeabilities, on the other hand, have been revealed by the teachers effort to more clearly understand the ways in which the concept of literacy can contribute to a more productive and informed literacy action.

Keywords

• Letramento
• Alfabetização
• Ação docente em língua materna