THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONVERSATION CIRCLES IN YOUTH AND ADULT EDUCATION

Abstract

In the educational field, conversation circles are becoming established as formative practices that value listening, dialogue, and the collective construction of meaning. From this perspective, the research question guiding this study is: how can the implementation of conversation circles contribute to strengthening dialogue, critical thinking, and human relationships within the teaching-learning process in Youth and Adult Education (EJA)? To address this question, the study aims to investigate how the implementation of conversation circles can foster dialogue, critical thinking, and human relationships in the EJA context. This is a qualitative, participatory study conducted at a municipal public school in Cachoeira do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul. Data were gathered through field journals and reflective records of the conversation circles. Data analysis was performed using Bardin’s Content Analysis method, seeking to understand the meanings participants ascribed to the experiences lived throughout the process. The results indicate that EJA is an educational modality where rights are reconstructed, and where stories—long silenced—can finally find an audience willing to listen.