CHALLENGES OF LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE: TEACHERS’ REFLECTIONS

Abstract

Learning to read and write is one of the central challenges of contemporary schooling, as it involves not only the acquisition of technical skills but also the student’s insertion into social practices mediated by language. Reading and writing cannot be reduced to decoding graphic symbols; they are cultural, historical, and formative processes that shape autonomy, social participation, and meaning-making. As Buendía states, “the ability to read and write has been considered a basic requirement for the consolidation of democracy” (BUENDÍA, 2010, p. 257). In the school context, the difficulties faced by students in early education reveal multiple factors: social inequalities, pedagogical practices lacking meaning, limited access to written culture, and curricular models that ignore diverse learning trajectories. Paulo Freire (2003) argues that reading is not restricted to words but is connected to reading the world, requiring an education committed to students’ lived experiences. Magda Soares (2004) emphasizes that literacy and social literacy practices must be developed together, since learning the writing system also means learning its social uses. Thus, reflecting on the challenges of reading and writing demands understanding literacy as a broad process shaped by political, pedagogical, and cultural dimensions. This chapter discusses these challenges from a teacher’s perspective, arguing that more consistent school practices depend on qualified mediation, access to written culture, and a curriculum that recognizes literacy as a fundamental right.