EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND LEARNING IN YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Abstract

This article stems from doctoral research entitled "Contributions of reading children's stories to improving the emotional well-being and learning of children in the Federal District – Brasília/BR". The central objective of the research was to analyze the effects of reading children's stories with positive content on the emotional state and learning processes of children in early childhood. The empirical field of the research involved children aged 5 and 6 years old, belonging to early childhood, who attended a foster care institution characterized as a daycare/orphanage. In this context, the children had the opportunity to explore books and children's stories with positive content, favoring the construction of new meanings and learning experiences. Thus, children's literature was used as a relevant educational resource to promote socio-emotional and cognitive development. From a methodological point of view, the research was characterized as qualitative, exploratory and descriptive, using a quasi-experimental design. As data collection instruments, observation procedures, application of a structured didactic sequence, questionnaires, and analysis of free drawings produced by the children were employed, allowing for a broader understanding of the participants' experiences and expressive manifestations. The results indicate that the systematic use of children's literature, associated with planned pedagogical practices and meaningful activities, can favor multiple learning possibilities, as well as contribute to strengthening the emotional well-being of children. Furthermore, the data show that the mediation of literary reading can constitute a relevant pedagogical strategy for education professionals, especially in the context of inclusive education. It is concluded that the intentional inclusion of children's literature in educational practices aimed at early childhood can promote the development of creativity, imagination, and social values ​​such as solidarity and empathy, contributing to character formation, emotional development, and the expansion of children's learning under the responsibility of education professionals and others involved.