TEXTUAL GENRES IN CHILDREN’S LITERACY: MEANINGS, MEDIATION, AND THE APPROPRIATION OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study analyzed the social function of writing in the development of linguistic awareness among children in the early years of elementary school, through literacy activities mediated by textual genres. Grounded in Historical-Cultural Psychology, the study adopted a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive approach and was conducted as part of an Educational Project at a non-governmental organization in Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. Six children aged nine to eleven, enrolled in the fourth and fifth grades, participated in the study. Data were collected through field journals, photographs, videos, and children's written productions and analyzed through triangulation. The results revealed that activities involving short stories, notes, letters, recipes, and legends encouraged children to attribute meaning to writing, express their experiences, and organize their ideas. The educational interventions provided by the student instructor contributed to reflection on language and greater autonomy in writing. It was concluded that socially meaningful practices enhance opportunities for the appropriation of writing as a cultural tool.