A tarefa de casa em livros didáticos do 1º e 2º ano do ensino fundamental

Abstract

This research proposes a reflection on the theme of homework in textbooks for the early years of Elementary Education. The textbook and homework are present in the daily lives of schools and their families. Therefore, this Final Paper (TCC) has the general objective of describing how homework is presented in the Portuguese Language textbooks for the early years of Elementary Education in the Coleção Desafio published by Editora Moderna in 2021. The methodology adopted in this study was consolidated in three stages: bibliographic research, state-of-knowledge research, and documentary research, in which two textbooks were analyzed, one from the 1st year and another from the 2nd year of Elementary Education. The homework assignments were selected based on the content present in their structure and also considered how they proposed family participation, in order to identify the underlying theoretical conceptions and promote debate on the subject. The analysis of the textbooks was organized into two categories: (i) homework that requires parental assistance and (ii) homework that does not require parental assistance. In the first category, it was observed that, although some activities contribute positively to teaching and learning processes, most present significant limitations. These tasks largely require considerable time to be completed and demand the direct participation of parents or guardians, which is not always possible, making execution unfeasible for many children. In the second category, which comprises tasks that can be carried out more independently, it was found that their main objective is to consolidate the content covered in the classroom. However, few of these activities are truly appropriate for the students’ age group, as they disregard essential aspects such as children's attention span and their right to play. This reveals a practice still centered on mechanical repetition to the detriment of more playful and meaningful approaches aligned with the needs and interests of childhood. It is concluded that delving deeper into the theme made it possible to understand the importance of discussing homework in the early years of Elementary Education, highlighting the need for pedagogical practices that consider children’s specificities, the family context, and the offer of proposals aimed at meaningful learning.