PUBLIC POLICIES FOR LITERACY IN BRAZIL: HISTORICAL INFLUENCES ON THE CHOICE OF TEACHING METHODS

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze how public literacy policies in Brazil have historically influenced the selection and consolidation of teaching methods for reading and writing. The study was conducted through a bibliographic and documentary review, drawing on legal frameworks, national programs, and curricular guidelines, as well as academic literature that discusses literacy from a historical perspective. The findings indicate that different periods have been marked by methodological shifts and disputes, often intensified by federal programs, curricular directives, and assessment mechanisms, which tend to shape priorities and classroom practices within school systems. It was also observed that literacy policies can expand pedagogical possibilities when they combine teacher education, instructional materials, and sensitivity to school contexts, but they may foster reductionist approaches when they treat a single method as a universal solution and overlook the diversity of educational realities. The article concludes that progress in literacy depends on consistent, sustained policies capable of integrating explicit instruction of the writing system with meaningful language practices, ensuring the right to learn with equity.