Production of written texts in literacy: A study in two public schools located in socially vulnerable territories

Abstract

This article analyses the teaching of text writing during literacy years in two schools located in socially vulnerable territories of the municipality of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Despite the predominantly qualitative nature of the study, mixed methods were adopted so that different sources could converge and diversified analytical procedures could be gathered. The analysis of the documental source was articulated with registries of participant observation in seven Portuguese Language classes of the third year of the Fundamental level in 2014, focusing on tasks and on the writing of texts by students. The analytical categories employed were established from data explorations and from the study of the theoretical-methodological changes observed in literacy and curricular organization in the municipal education network. Results indicate disparities between what is taught in these schools and the foreseen contents and opportunities involved in learning to write texts. Besides the low frequency with which writing text activities were employed, the observed disparities refer to the selection of contents and to the adoption of divergent approaches as far as the official conception of teaching Portuguese Language goes. Bearing in mind the literature on the disadvantageous distribution of school knowledge for students from less favoured social contexts, results indicate imbalances in access to knowledge and acquisition of abilities related to text writing. As a consequence, addressing these inequalities becomes more complex for certain groups.