Infantilização nas aulas de EJA: um problema a superar

Abstract

Youth and Adult Education (EJA) has always occupied a secondary position within Brazilian educational policies, being treated more as an obligation than as a full right. Created to redress the exclusion of thousands of Brazilians from formal schooling, this modality is more than mere schooling; it is the promotion of dignity for individuals who did not access school or did not complete their studies as children or adolescents. This study was developed through a qualitative research approach with a bibliographic character. Data collection was carried out based on a mapping conducted on the Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo) portal and Google Scholar. The search resulted in 32 records; after reading the titles and abstracts, two were chosen that focused on the theme of the "infantilization" of EJA for further in-depth analysis. The results indicate that the infantilization of classes in Youth and Adult Education is a reflection of how education has historically treated this modality. The analyzed works point out that EJA has been treated as if it were a mere adaptation of the teaching offered to children, without considering the specificities of the EJA public. The reproduction of teaching materials with childish images and activities, inadequate teacher training, and decontextualized pedagogical practices are some of the points highlighted in the analyzed texts. We consider it essential for EJA to have: its own dedicated teaching materials; an expansion of EJA themes in both initial and continuing teacher training; and the valuation of students' daily experiences and knowledge, integrating this knowledge into the curriculum. We believe that this topic should be expanded and that further studies are necessary. We hope this work contributes to broadening the knowledge in the field.