WHEN TEACHING PEOPLE TO WRITE DOES NOT MEAN TAKING OWNERSHIP OF WRITING: THE LIMITS OF A LITERACY CAMPAIGN

Abstract

It is well known that good writing relies on accurate and precise inferences for the development of this skill; in this context, we sought to present a line of argument with precise reasoning to understand social writing from the perspective of literacy and the literacy development of primary school pupils. Within this framework, the objective is to analyse the activities proposed for the development of social writing among Year 3 primary school pupils at a municipal school in the city of Manaus. The article employed qualitative field research conducted in 2023/2024 to collect the data. This involved taking timely notes and systematising observations in a field notebook during the lessons taught. Theoretical contributions from scholars such as Mortatti (2006; 2011;), Soares (2014; 2016; 2017) and Smolka (2012) were essential for constructing an analytical interpretation of writing in the context of literacy and literacy development. A brief historical overview of literacy in Brazil and of primer-based methods was thus presented. The data analysis confirms that writing is established through standardised methods, revealing a dichotomy in the process of social writing amongst Year 3 primary school pupils.