O texto de tradição oral na aula de língua portuguesa: a cultura do benzimento no ensino de linguagens

Abstract

The study aimed to develop a methodology for teaching languages in Portuguese classes for the final years of elementary school, with an emphasis on oral traditions and popular cultures related to representations of the sacred. This approach was based on the sociocultural and historical context of the prayer women (rezadeiras) from the Cariri Paraibano region. To do so, the research began with the following problem question: how to invest in a language teaching methodology, emphasizing oral traditions, that can promote language learning for students in the final years of elementary school in a public school in the interior of Paraíba? The overall objective of this research was to propose and implement a didactic proposal that would guide the actions of the researcher-teacher in developing an approach to orality in language teaching based on the valorization of oral tradition texts originating from popular Catholicism, particularly prayers and benedictions. The intention was to propose alternatives to reframe and expand educational practices in Portuguese language classes aimed at enhancing the linguistic skills and competencies of students in the final years of elementary school. Specific objectives included: cataloging oral tradition texts that materialize sacred manifestations in northeastern popular culture, with an emphasis on healing prayers and/or benedictions; reflecting on the context in which the conditions for resistance of sacred expressions in this culture occur, promoting a collective analysis of students' experiences based on their ancestral heritage; and developing and applying a Didactic Proposal and Didactic Module that would allow the development of a methodology for language teaching in classes of the final years of elementary school. To achieve the proposed objectives, the study was conducted using action research methodology. The theoretical framework drew on the contributions of Bakhtin (2003), Bhabha (1994), Ferrarezi Jr. (2008; 2013), Halbwachs (2003), Kabatek (2012), Libâneo (2013), Rodrigues (2009; 2011; 2014; 2016; 2017a; 2017b), Severino (2007), Thompson (1981), Zumthor (1993; 1997), among others. The research was deemed relevant as it considered the fact that oral genres, present in various segments of people's daily lives, permeate everyday activities and intertwine in the different communication situations of Basic Education students, becoming essential elements in communicative/interactive practices. In the oral tradition, these genres, especially manifested in the sacred universe of popular Catholicism, such as prayers and benedictions, sustain the popular imagination in Northeast Brazil and necessitate the need to think about possibilities for school literacy. Therefore, the study revealed that the use of oral tradition texts had a positive impact on improving the teaching of specific language contents, as well as on the cultural enhancement of students. The students' identification with the studied cultural practices and manifestations was evident throughout the study.