Neuroscience and Literacy Activities Routines in the 1st Cycle of Schooling

Carla Maria Rodarte Santana; Mariana Domitila Padovani Martins

DOI: 10.22167/2675-6528-202602800

Article derived from a Final Course Work (TCC), with content based on the student’s original work and adapted to the editorial format of the E&S Magazine with the support of the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute for textual synthesis and organization.

Abstract

Literacy, a fundamental process in educational development, is based on diagnosis, planning, and methodology, with neuroscience offering significant contributions to the effectiveness of pedagogical practices. The literacy experience of a municipal school in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, was analyzed with the objective of identifying and understanding the practices developed and their insertion into the classroom routine. A theoretical-reflective study of a descriptive and qualitative nature was carried out, configured as a case study. Literacy routines from the 1st to the 3rd year of elementary school were observed over three years (triennium 2022-2024), through monitoring of teaching activities and pedagogical discussions with the coordination. It was found that a planned and implemented pedagogical routine, aligned with the principles of neuroscience and evidence-based literacy, favored success in literacy. The observed practices included systematic work with phonemic awareness, written text, textual production, and the use of technologies. It was concluded that the cognitive integration promoted by these routines developed the brain’s capacity for reading and writing, demonstrating the importance of continuous and interconnected strategies for effective and lasting learning in the early years of elementary school.

Keywords: Literacy; Training; Neuroscience; Planning; Pedagogical Routine.

1. Introduction

Literacy represents the core of the work in the initial grades of Elementary Education, being an essential pillar for the educational development of children. Over the decades, the concept of literacy has undergone significant transformations, reflecting the evolution of understandings about the process of acquiring reading and writing.

Initially, literacy was understood as the simple act of “teaching to read and write”. However, this view proved insufficient, especially in graphophonic societies, driving research and studies that sought to deepen the nature of these processes and how children construct knowledge about written language.

With the advancement of studies, such as those on the Psychogenesis of Written Language, it became evident that the success of literacy requires a range of more complex knowledge and strategies from the teacher. Pedagogical practices and methodologies are characterized by Frade (2014) as a set of intentional decisions that the educator makes regarding methods, materials, teaching procedures, assessment, and learning objectives.

This expanded perspective demands that the teacher be attentive to the learner’s hypotheses about writing and reading, creating situations that allow the student to understand the social function of writing. Activity planning is crucial for reconciling the acquisition of the alphabetic system with the competent use of reading and writing in social contexts of interaction and communication, as highlighted by Soares (2014).

In this scenario, neuroscience emerges as a field of fundamental contribution to literacy, by grounding learning in brain modifications. Brain neuroplasticity, defined by Cosenza and Guerra (2011) as the nervous system’s capacity to restructure its functions and anatomy in response to stimuli and experiences, is the basis of every act of learning, exploring the mechanisms of information processing in the brain.

The understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underpin the literacy process equips educators to develop more effective pedagogical strategies. This approach, aligned with evidence-based literacy, recognizes the complexity of learning to read and write, not as a simplistic strategy, but as a set of scientific knowledge about the most effective practices, as pointed out by Filho (2023).

In the educational context, the routine in a literacy class is of paramount importance, acting as an organizer and conductor of activities. Souza and Souto (2014) characterize routine as a sequence of actions that provide organization and reference to subjects, due to its systematic nature. To be effective, the activity routine requires intentional teacher planning, which defines a path to develop skills and knowledge with continuity and integration, configuring an articulated organization of activities for the development of reading and writing, according to Soares (2021).

Despite the growing understanding of the complexity of literacy and the relevance of neuroscience, it is still necessary to investigate how pedagogical routines can be structured to effectively integrate this knowledge. Identifying practices that align neuroscience assumptions with literacy demands is crucial for promoting more meaningful and lasting learning. Given this need, this work is justified by the effort to contribute to the improvement of pedagogical practices, aiming for an effective process of appropriation of reading and writing. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify and point out the activities and teaching strategies included in a literacy routine, in 1st to 3rd grade elementary school classes, which, according to neuroscience assumptions, contribute to an effective process of appropriation of reading and writing.

2. Material and Methods

The present study was designed as a descriptive research with a qualitative approach, configuring itself as a case study. Its objective was to understand and point out the teaching activities and strategies embedded in literacy routines, in classes from the 1st to the 3rd grades of elementary school, which, aligned with the premises of neuroscience, contribute to an effective process of appropriation of reading and writing, as established in the introduction.

The descriptive nature of the research allowed for the characterization of the phenomenon in question, focusing on the understanding of pedagogical practices without the intention of establishing cause-and-effect relationships or generalizations. The qualitative approach, in turn, was employed to explore the depth and complexity of literacy routines, seeking a contextualized understanding of the adopted strategies.

The empirical focus of the study fell on the classes of the 1st Cycle of Elementary Education, covering the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, from a public municipal school located in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The unit of analysis consisted of the literacy routines implemented in these classes, also including the remedial education class of the same institution.

To obtain information and data, observation and continuous monitoring of the activities developed by the faculty were used. This procedure was carried out by the researcher in her role of pedagogical coordination, which provided direct and prolonged immersion in the educational environment.

The data collection techniques and instruments consisted of personal observation of the researched context and instructive, guiding conversations and pedagogical discussions that occurred between the pedagogical coordination and the teachers. It is important to emphasize that the study did not involve sample selection, nor the application of questionnaires, interviews, or standardized tests.

The pedagogical practices analyzed were observed over a three-year period, corresponding to the triennium from 2022 to 2024. The observations took place in the regular classroom context, integrated into the school’s curriculum planning, without the activities having an experimental nature.

The analysis of the collected data was theoretical-reflexive and analytical-interpretative in nature. It was organized around thematic axes of analysis, which were constructed through the articulation between the observed teaching practice and specialized literature on literacy and neuroscience. The methodological proposal consisted of the systematization and pedagogical analysis of the adopted teaching strategies.

Regarding the ethical aspects, the present work was not submitted to the Research Ethics Committee. This decision was based on the fact that the study is characterized as a theoretical-reflexive deepening of situations emerging from teaching professional practice, with no identification of participants, no systematic data collection, and no use of research instruments, in accordance with CNS Resolution No. 510/2016.

The methodology employed therefore sought to describe and understand the pedagogical literacy practices in their natural context, without experimental interventions or the production of empirical data on students’ individual performance. The focus remained on the analysis of didactic strategies and their insertion into the school routine, aiming to contribute to the reflection and improvement of teaching practices.

3. Results and Discussion

The literacy experience analyzed in a municipal school in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, revealed a set of pedagogical practices that, aligned with the principles of neuroscience and evidence-based literacy, contributed significantly to the success in the process of appropriating reading and writing. The study, focused on the routines of the 1st to 3rd year of elementary school during the triennium 2022-2024, identified an intentional organization of activities that promoted cognitive integration and the development of brain capacity for reading and writing. The findings demonstrate that the planning and implementation of adequate methodologies are essential pillars for satisfactory results in literacy, as already pointed out by Frade (2014).

The initial analysis of the dimensions of written language construction, which underpin teaching and learning, highlighted the importance of three interconnected axes. The sociocultural dimension emphasizes that writing acquires sense and meaning when inserted into a valued context, allowing for communication and the individual’s deepening engagement in social reading and writing practices. The cognitive dimension, in turn, directs classroom practices towards the effective mastery of the written code and the skills necessary for its use, as well as towards the production of meanings from the appropriation of writing and its social use, which transforms the learner’s condition. This union of the linear process with the use of acquired knowledge is crucial.

Complementarily, the pedagogical dimension highlights the need to integrate literacy culture in school, teaching reading and writing in a continuous movement between thought, action, and meaning. The objective is to reconcile the multiple facets of language acquisition. The observation of these three dimensions is fundamental for the construction of a methodological proposal that organizes and systematizes literacy activities and practices, addressing the specificities of the reading and writing acquisition process. This premise serves as a guiding thread for understanding the routines implemented in school, reinforcing the importance of intentional teacher planning, as advocated by Soares (2021).

In general, the literacy routines observed at the school included activities aimed at the appropriation of the alphabetic writing system, the development of spelling and literacy, the improvement of reading and interpretation skills, and the enhancement of textual production and graphic and spelling conventions. It was found that knowledge of letters and the alphabet, phonological and phonemic awareness, word writing and reading, spelling, and text reading and interpretation, as well as textual production, were worked on continuously and integrated throughout the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years of elementary school. This systematic approach is essential for the gradual and interconnected development of competencies, avoiding the fragmentation of learning.

A key point in observing literacy dynamics and routines was the systematic work with phonemic awareness and the appropriation of the alphabetic principle. Activities included counting letters and syllables, recognizing syllables, and forming words, which are fundamental for decoding written text into sounds, as pointed out by Silva (2014). These practices, which involve the perception of grapheme-phoneme correspondences, are crucial for the learner to develop the ability to transform what they see into sounds and vice versa, establishing the foundations for fluent reading and coherent writing.

Activities for appropriation of the alphabetic writing system

The activities aimed at the appropriation of the alphabetic writing system were designed so that the learner would understand how the writing system represents speech. It was observed that the child goes through different levels of writing, indicating that literacy is a process of knowledge construction, not a mere repetition of information. Meaningful activities, mediated by the teacher and contextualized, allowed the student to progress gradually and continuously in their understanding. Examples of these activities included comparing words to identify phonetic and graphic similarities and differences, spontaneous writing to reveal the child’s hypotheses about writing, and reading real texts such as notes, stories, and lists.

Furthermore, phonological games, such as rhymes and syllable segmentation, and the analysis of correspondences between letters and sounds, which are essential for the development of phonological awareness, were implemented. From an early age, the child is immersed in sociocultural environments where reading and writing play communicative roles, leading them to perceive that writing is representing speech and reading is transforming these marks into speech, according to Soares (2021). From a neuroscience perspective, the brain possesses a remarkable capacity to reorganize itself through new learning, constituting a constant movement of reordering cognitive functions and organizations, according to Rotta (2018).

The practice of spelling activities and graphic conventions

The approach to spelling and graphic conventions in school was not limited to teaching rules randomly, but sought to promote reflection on the functioning of the language. “Spelling errors” were conceived as the child’s conceptions about writing, which enabled the teacher’s pedagogical intervention so that students could compare, question, and advance their writing hypotheses. The activities were based on real reading and text production practices, ensuring that learning was contextualized and meaningful. The structuring axis of this observed practice consisted of proposing activities for reflection on writing, such as comparing words and analyzing regularities, in addition to spelling games.

Working with real texts, such as lists, notes, and stories, in which spelling had a clear social function, was fundamental. Language regularities, such as the use of “m” before “p” and “b”, were explored, and irregularities were discussed. Text revision was valued, promoting self-correction and peer exchange, which enriched the learning process. It is crucial that the development of graphic and spelling conventions be guided by intentional, systematic, and contextualized pedagogical practices, recognizing the child as an active agent in constructing their knowledge about the writing system. Systematized practices included textual production and group revision, linguistic games such as word searches and word bingo, conscious rewriting of known texts, comparison and reflection on writing, construction of visual references such as murals of frequent words, and dictation with a reflective approach to discuss correct spelling.

Activities for the development of reading and interpretation skills in the literacy cycle

The National Common Curricular Base (BRASIL, 2018) establishes that the literacy cycle must focus doubly on the acquisition of the alphabetic writing system and on the improvement of reading competence. Thus, the school worked with a diversity of textual genres from the beginning, stimulating comprehension, the ability to infer, and critical reflection on the text. Reading and interpretation were seen as an uninterrupted process of meaning construction, which transcends the simple decoding of words. This approach is based on linguistics, cognitive psychology, and pedagogy, aligned with Brazilian educational regulatory documents.

The pedagogical practice of reading and interpretation followed three fundamental pillars. The first is Meaning and Contextualization, where reading needed to be relevant to the child, using authentic everyday texts, such as stories, notes, and news. Interpretation was stimulated by inviting the student to reflect, anticipate, hypothesize, and connect the content with their personal experiences. The second pillar is the Teacher’s Intentional Mediation, whose role was crucial in guiding comprehension through questions that promoted discussion, meaning-building activities, such as dramatizations and retellings, and group debates. The third pillar is the Explicit Teaching of Strategies, which involved the deliberate teaching of skills such as locating explicit data, making inferences, identifying the main idea, and understanding the general context of the text, competencies built through instruction and not spontaneously.

In the literacy and numeracy cycle, reading and interpretation are inseparable. Reading instruction went beyond word recognition, ensuring that students understood, interpreted, and used reading as an instrument for social participation. Thus, according to Lima (2023), phoneme decoding strategies, word and text comprehension were taught from the beginning of the literacy process. Moments of contact with written text and reading, through classroom books, in the library, or in storytelling by teachers, were considered paramount for the development of these skills, promoting an environment rich in stimuli for the acquisition of written language.

Activities for the development of text production skills

The textual production activities at school were not restricted to the mere exercise of letters or syllables, but aimed to convey ideas, feelings, and information in authentic contexts of use. In the literacy cycle, these activities were based on an interactionist perspective of language, understanding writing as a social act with meaning, a clear purpose, and a defined interlocutor. The theoretical contributions of Emília Ferreiro and Ana Teberosky (2011) demonstrate the gradual process of children constructing hypotheses about writing, and the introduction of textual production activities from the initial stages of literacy was crucial to encourage students to reflect on the writing system and build meanings simultaneously.

The school explored a variety of textual genres, such as notes, lists, stories, invitations, and accounts, which enriched students’ vocabulary and linguistic skills, helping them understand that writing adapts and changes according to the context of use. The work developed encompassed textual production skills, challenging students to reproduce diverse texts, rewrite worked-on texts, and create texts with the teacher’s help or in pairs and groups. Furthermore, the school used technologies, such as games in the computer lab once a week, to develop and improve phonemic awareness, reading and text interpretation skills, spelling, and graphic conventions, integrating learning in a playful and effective way.

In summary, the activities included in the literacy routine in the 1st school cycle, as observed, established the acquisition of knowledge about reading and writing from the perspective of neuroscience, based on meaningful learning. The understanding of how the human brain works and processes information, according to Lima (2023), guided the choice of teaching strategies aligned with cognitive processes, promoting lasting learning. The practices examined are in line with the neuroscience of learning, as they recognize that the learning process is an integration of cognitive, emotional, and motivational dimensions, with pedagogical environments that stimulate active participation, social interaction, and intentional mediation by the teacher, based on robust pedagogical planning. Effective literacy work comprises a common thread that includes the planning and organization of methodological strategies and activities in a continuous and integrated manner, overcoming the use of decontextualized and isolated activities, for the development of the necessary skills for reading and writing development.

4. Conclusion

The study sought to understand and point out the teaching activities and strategies included in a literacy routine, in the 1st to 3rd grades of elementary school, which, according to the premises of neuroscience, contribute to an effective process of appropriation of reading and writing. It was verified that a planned and implemented pedagogical routine, aligned with the premises of neuroscience and evidence-based literacy, favored success in literacy. The observed practices included systematic work with phonemic awareness, written text, text production, and the use of technologies. These activities, which contemplated the sociocultural, cognitive, and pedagogical dimensions of written language, promoted the cognitive integration necessary for the development of brain capacity for reading and writing, evidencing the importance of a continuous and interconnected approach to skills.

The main contribution of this study lies in offering subsidies for pedagogical reflection and the improvement of teaching practices, by demonstrating the effectiveness of literacy routines that integrate knowledge from neuroscience and evidence-based literacy. However, it is important to recognize that this research was configured as a theoretical-reflective analysis of teaching practice, without the production of empirical data on student performance or the measurement of results. Thus, the considerations presented do not allow for generalizations, but serve as a valuable starting point for educators seeking to develop more effective and lasting pedagogical strategies, aligned with cognitive learning processes.

Bibliographic References

BRASIL. Ministério da Educação. Base Nacional Comum Curricular. Brasília: MEC, 2018. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/mec/pt-br/assuntos/educacao-basica/bncc.

COSENZA, R. M; GUERRA, L.B; Neurociência e Educação: como o cérebro aprende. Porto Alegre: Artmed, 2011.

Ferreiro e Teberosky, 2011 [Referência completa não encontrada no documento original]

FILHO,P.H.;FILHO,F.L.O; MARAVALHAS,A.L.G. (Orgs.) Neurociências e Educação: um caminho possível. São Paulo, Editora Brasileira de Publicação Científica Aluz, 2023.

FRADE, I.C. A; VAL, M.G.C; BREGUNCI, M.G.C. (Orgs.) Glossário Ceale: termos de alfabetização, leitura e escrita para educadores. Belo Horizonte: UFMG, 2014.

Lima, 2023 [Referência completa não encontrada no documento original]

ROTTA, N. T; FILHO, C.A.B; BRIDI,F. R. S; ( Orgs.) Plasticidade Cerebral e Aprendizagem: abordagem multidisciplinar. Porto Alegre, Artmed, 2018.

Silva, 2014 [Referência completa não encontrada no documento original]

SOARES,M.; Alfaletrar: toda criança pode aprender a ler e escrever. São Paulo: Contexto, 2021

Souza and Souto, 2014 [Full reference not found in the original document]

Article originating from a Final Course Work on Neuroscience and Learning in Education

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