Entre o que é e o que pode vir a ser: jogos lúdicos, zona de desenvolvimento proximal e alfabetização de crianças com dificuldades de leitura e escrita

Abstract

This study analyzes the contributions of playful games, mediated by the concept of the Zone of proximal Development, to the literacy development of children in the early years of Elementary education who experience difficulties in reading and writing. It is grounded in Cultural- Historical Psychology and Dialectical Historical Materialism, articulating the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development with the categories of reality and possibility. The study is qualitative in nature and was conducted through participant observation in the Alfaletrando em Jogo Teaching Project, carried out in a non-governmental organization in Parnaíba, Piauí, Brazil. The participants were children, mostly enrolled in the third, fourth, and fifth grades, who showed gaps in the acquisition of written language. Data were produced through field journals, observations, photographs, videos, and children’s written productions, which were examined through data triangulation. The findings show that the children experienced difficulties in letter recognition, grapheme-phoneme correspondence, word formation, reading fluency, and written production. When planned according to the identified needs and mediated by monitors and more experienced peers, the games promoted participation, interaction, linguistic awareness, and progress in reading and writing. However, the findings also reveal that games do not promote learning automatically, since the transformation of possibilities into new realities depends on intentional pedagogical mediation, continuity of interventions, and favorable social, family, and specialized support conditions. It is concluded that the articulation between playful games, the Zone of Proximal Development, reality, and possibility contributes to the organization of more meaningful and systematic literacy practices committed to human development.