Literacy methods, teaching methods and contents of literacy: historical perspectives and current challenges

Abstract

The discussion about methods is recurrent in Pedagogy of literacy, and discuss it again means to think about the own schooling of the contents of the language. Its opacity and transparency as a theme, in some moments, may be described by the way the methods’ issue is taken: sometimes as a central question, others as a secondary problem; sometimes as something to be denied and, surprisingly, due to its reappearance in contemporary polemics, as a “solution” to the problems of literacy in many countries. Taking into account the researches about the history of literacy, as well as some practices revealed in books and manuals to the beginning of its process, this article aims at recovering the place of the methods of literacy from a historical and current point of view. The basis to this study considers that when methods are not in evidence in the theoretical field and in the field of politics, the forms of materializing new theories and challenges in actions are part of the nature of Pedagogy. To reflect about the different ways of intervention/methods and methodologies allows us to learn some lessons. Aiming at recovering principles, solutions and problems that methods present, this text is organized around the following objectives: a) to discuss the literacy methods, its specificity and contents; b) to present the interferences and connections produced based on general teaching methods; c) to reflect about the manipulation of the contents of literacy and its relation with new methodologies.