Percepções docentes sobre o ensino da escrita em inglês para crianças: um estudo a partir de uma unidade didática

Abstract

This doctoral research investigates the role of writing in the teaching of English to Young Learners (EYL) in the early years of primary school, aiming to contribute to a more meaningful inclusion of this skill in English language classes. Based on a didactic unit designed according to the Communicative Approach (CA) and grounded in the principles of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory (SCT), the study seeks to understand how writing practices in English can be developed with children, reframing writing as a communicative practice from an SCT perspective and drawing on teachers’ perceptions of their own classroom practices. The research was conducted in four public schools in the interior of São Paulo state, with 5th-grade classes. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews with teachers, recorded meetings, and analysis of students’ written productions. Anchored in teachers’ perceptions, the data made it possible to identify how they understand and experience the teaching of writing in the classroom. The study also discusses the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), highlighting the role of mediation and scaffolding in learning to write and in the development of higher psychological functions such as autonomy in textual production. Findings suggest that contextualized writing practices in EYL classes, supported by consistent theoretical foundations, tend to enrich learning and may foster the development of linguistic competencies. Teachers reported indications of greater student engagement, progress across the four skills, and reduced anxiety regarding writing in English. The experience also appears to have encouraged teachers to revisit some of their conceptions, moving toward a more process-oriented and integrated approach guided by mediation and student agency. Finally, the study outlines possible directions for pedagogical practices that may enhance the value of writing in English language teaching for children.