Perceptions of Portuguese language teachers on the reader education of students from lower classes

Author(s)

Ana Paula Carneiro Renesto

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Educação (FE/SBD)
• Defense date: 2014-10-31

Examining board members

Teresa Cristina Rebolho Rego de Moraes; Maria Zélia Versiani de Machado; Emerson de Pietri; Nelson Schapochnik; Ana Luiza Bustamante Smolka

• Advisor: Teresa Cristina Rebolho Rego de Moraes

Abstract

This study has sought to understand, from the perspective of cultural-historical psychology, the opinions of primary and secondary Portuguese teachers on the reader education of underprivileged students. Data collection consisted of 87 texts written by teachers who work in public schools in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, and aimed to investigate what aspects teachers emphasized to explain why a few students succeed in becoming proficient readers while most do not. Data analysis evidenced that teachers tend to attribute the credit for the success in reading education mostly to students themselves and their families rather than to schooling and teachers. The analysis also showed that higher education in more prestigious institutions is linked to a slightly lesser recourse to endogenous reasons and strongly linked to a greater belief in the potential of schooling and teachers to favor reader education. Such findings indicate the importance of solid training that emphasizes: that human development and thus reader education are not spontaneous, natural or due to innate characteristics; that, on the contrary, they require challenging and qualified mediation by more experienced members of one\'s cultural group and students work; and that strengthens the belief of teachers in education and in themselves as promoters of development. This investigation was grounded on the studies on reading and literacy by Magda Becker Soares, Marisa Lajolo and Maria Zélia Versiani Machado, the sociological analyses of Bernard Charlot, Bernard Lahire and Zaia Brandão, the reflections on teacher education and work by Bernardete Gatti, José Carlos Libâneo, Maria Isabel de Almeida and Maurice Tardif, the studies on the Vygotskian perspective of human development conducted by Ana Luiza Smolka, Pablo del Río, Marta Kohl de Oliveira e Teresa Rego. (AU)