LIFE STORIES AND POPULAR KNOWLEDGE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE IN EJA

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the contributions of listening to life trajectories, incorporating non-school knowledge, and promoting civic practices in the construction of knowledge in Youth and Adult Education (EJA). The research focused on discussing how personal experiences, community cultural references, and practices of critical citizenship are articulated in the formation of a pedagogy more attuned to the realities of EJA subjects. To this end, a bibliographic study was conducted, based on the analysis of academic publications available in electronic databases, selected according to thematic relevance and up-to-date criteria. The analysis showed that the appreciation of life experiences and knowledge rooted in everyday culture strengthened learners’ identities, redefined the schooling process, and fostered engagement with transformative social practices. It was found that active listening and the epistemic recognition of learners functioned as structuring elements of a democratic and emancipatory education, especially when aligned with pedagogical proposals grounded in popular education. The study also indicated the need for further theoretical and methodological investigation into the mediation between school content and community-based ways of knowing, with an emphasis on the training of educators committed to inclusive pedagogical practices.