The “battle of the literacy methods” in Brazil: Contributions to methodize the debate

Abstract

With the objective of contributing to the debate on literacy methods in Brazil and as a result of documental research on the topic, this paper presents and renders problematic one of the most recent proposals for teaching literacy to children: that centered on the phonic method. The key characteristics of this new proposal will be analyzed, including their elements of error. The proposal will be compared with other literacy proposals and methods that have emerged over the course of the history of the teaching of reading and writing in elementary education in Brazil since the end of the nineteenth century.