A Importância da literatura no desenvolvimento do aluno leitor

Abstract

The presente work aims to discuss the importance of literature in the development of student readers throughout basic education, with a focus on elementary school. The research seeks to answer the following question: how can the integration of literature in the school environment contribute to the formation of critical and reflective readers? To address this, the study examines how reading literary works influences reader development during basic education, emphasizing the significance of continuous engagement with literary texts at all stages of schooling, particularly in the early years, and highlighting the role of a skilled teacher-reader in fostering an environment conducive to the growth of literary and critical skills. For this purpose, bibliographic studies were conducted based on the works of renowned scholars on this subject, including Antonio Candido (2011), Jonathan Culler (1999), Faraco (2009), and Souza (2008), who discuss in depth the importance of literature in students’ critical and social formation. Additionally, the study addresses the relevance of pedagogical mediation in shaping autonomous readers while pointing out structural and pedagogical challenges in education, such as the lack of reading incentives and insufficient school libraries. Based on these bibliographic studies, the conclusion is that well-mediated engagement with literature is essential not only for the development of students' linguistic and cognitive skills but also for promoting a broad and critical understanding of the world. It simultaneously fosters interest and pleasure in reading, enriching students' imaginative, cultural, and social repertoires.