Dialogues with Magda Soares: contributions to the National Pact for Early Reading and Writing Acquisition at the Right Age

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the main trends in the field of early reading and writing acquisition and literacy as a social and cultural practice in the Brazilian context, as identified in curriculum documents produced or revised between 2000 and 2010, emphasizing the contributions of Magda Soares. It also seeks to examine the influence of these trends on the “Pacto Nacional pela Alfabetização na Idade Certa” (PNAIC) – a federal teacher education policy implemented between 2013 and 2017. Documentary analysis was conducted on 32 teacher training booklets developed within the scope of the PNAIC. The study focuses on three main approaches to early reading and writing acquisition: 1) early reading and writing acquisition as a code – the phonics method; 2) learning to read and write through immersion in literacy practices; and 3) early reading and writing acquisition from a sociocultural perspective. Magda Soares was one of the foremost proponents of this latter approach, advocating that learning to read and write is a multi-faceted process. She emphasized the importance of systematic and explicit instruction of the alphabetic writing system, including metalinguistic activities that promote phonological awareness and reflections on the system’s functioning, alongside meaningful reading and writing practices from the beginning of basic education. Soares opposed the empiricist tendencies of the phonics method and immersion-only approaches. The findings reveal that her theoretical contributions underpin several aspects of the PNAIC documents. The study concludes that her ideas influenced multiple authors of the teacher training booklets, particularly in discussions on language concepts and Portuguese teaching, early reading and writing acquisition and literacy, pedagogical planning and methodology, literature, and the political dimension of early reading and writing acquisition and literacy education.