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Literacy for youth and adults is one
of the most urgent and transformative challenges in contemporary education. In
a world where written communication permeates all spheres of life, offering an
adult the chance to learn to read and write is akin to handing them the keys to
a new world. The PCA method – Pedagogies of Creativity and Autonomy, developed
by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, emerges as an innovative and humanized response
to this demand, built upon scientific evidence, field experience, and a
profound respect for the learner's individuality.
The PCA is founded on
the idea that every human being is inherently creative and capable of learning
at any age, provided their autonomy and context are respected. One of the
method's primary pillars is the personalization of teaching. Each student is
seen as a unique universe of experiences, memories, and potentials. Thus,
literacy doesn't begin with isolated letters or syllables but with elements the
student recognizes from their life: their name, their children's names,
everyday objects. By giving immediate meaning to what is learned, the student
feels motivated and valued.
The combined use of
analytical and synthetic methods is another distinguishing feature of the PCA.
While synthetic methods, like phonics, help the student understand the
relationship between letters and sounds, analytical methods start with complete
texts, allowing the student to have a broad view of language use. This integrated
approach, supported by research, enables the student to develop competencies
simultaneously and more naturally.
Technology also has a
guaranteed place in the PCA. Interactive applications, videos, audio
recordings, and digital platforms are used to make learning more engaging and
accessible. An effective example is the use of applications that combine sound,
image, and text, similar to those used in educational centers in Finland. Such
tools allow the student to associate phonemes with images and complete words,
stimulating various areas of the brain simultaneously, as demonstrated by
studies in neuroeducation (Zull, 2002).
The learning
environment in the PCA is another essential element. Classrooms are designed as
welcoming and encouraging spaces, where mistakes are seen as part of the
process rather than failures. Teachers are trained to act as facilitators and
motivators, creating a relationship of empathy and trust with students.
Affectivity, as highlighted by Wallon (1945), is a powerful driver of learning,
especially among those who carry histories of exclusion and school traumas.
Among the central
instruments of the PCA is the TBMB – Mané Beiçudo Puppet Theater. With it,
students learn through playful performances that represent everyday situations.
A striking example is the story of a 65-year-old man in São Paulo who couldn't
read and, through the TBMB, learned to write his grandchildren's names and began
telling his own stories with the puppets. Symbolic and emotional expression
promotes cognitive and affective integration, as advocated by Vygotsky (1934).
The second pillar, MAT
– Mindset, Action, and Theater, aims to change the student's mindset regarding
themselves. Many adults carry the belief that it's too late to learn. MAT works
on self-esteem and resilience through theatrical dynamics and reflections, as
proposed by Carol Dweck (2006) in her theory of the "growth mindset."
With each new word learned, the student reinforces their confidence and desire
to continue.
The third component is
ThM – Theater Movement, which integrates body expression into the literacy
process. Through movements, rhythms, and performances, the body becomes a tool
for memory and expression in the learning process. A study conducted at the
University of Helsinki showed that the use of movement and music in adult
education increases content retention by up to 40%.
Inspired by the PCA,
here are 10 practical steps for educators to initiate the literacy of youth and
adults:
- Discover each student's name and story:
write their names and build words from them.
- Use the TBMB to dramatize real-life
situations of the students.
- Create a storytelling circle with
personal objects brought by the students.
- Introduce letters with associated sounds
and images using simple applications.
- Encourage each student to create an
"illustrated diary" with drawings and new words.
- Conduct performances with the ThM
involving simple gestures and speeches.
- Stimulate the collective creation of a
class story.
- Use familiar songs to work on rhymes and
sounds.
- Celebrate each new word learned as an
achievement.
- End each class with a sharing moment
where each student can express what they learned and how they felt.
The methodologies
created by Antônio Carlos dos Santos, extensively described in his vast
published work, prove to be not only effective but deeply human. They address
not just literacy itself but the restoration of the individual's ability to express,
think, decide, and create. Literacy for youth or adults through the PCA method
is, above all, a belief that every life can be rewritten with freedom, dignity,
and poetry.
Access the books by Antônio Carlos dos Santos on amazon.com or amazon.com.br
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