LITERACY IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

This article will address the topic of Literacy in Early Childhood Education, considering that there are still misconceptions when it comes to literacy in the first stage of Basic Education. Currently, there are divergent points of view, especially when it comes to pedagogical practices that cater to children from 0 to 5 years old. Qualifying early childhood education and proposing successful reading and writing experiences in the context of early childhood education leave professionals confused about where to start. Reading and writing practices do not occur spontaneously with the biological development of the child; they need to be immersed in social practices that involve listening to stories, engaging with discursive genres, participating in circle times, playing with rhymes, recipes, so that children understand the diverse practices of writing use. Children gain autonomy when they see their written interpretations forming a text. How proud they are to see their writings being read by others; this involvement in these practices shapes the reader and contributes to their perception of being included in social practices of reading and writing. The child's contact with literacy in early childhood education is not to alphabetize, but for the child to be exposed to the various texts circulating in society and be inserted into a literacy context. The child attending the first stage of basic education should be involved in social practices of reading and writing without it being a preparation for elementary school. Respecting and reading the documents that guide literacy at this age is the task of every teacher. Considering the unique way each child in this stage of Basic Education learns, expressing their desires, and promoting inclusion by considering their specificities when proposing social practices of reading and writing, the teacher needs to create conditions for the child to express their initial attempts at writing, without disregarding the social context in which the child is immersed.