Entre a ciência e a escola: a linguagem nos livros didáticos

Abstract

This research aimed to understand how context manifests itself in the text of science textbooks, specifically in the area of Chemistry, based on the integration between Systemic-Functional Linguistics and the Theory of Legitimation Codes. It starts from the observation that scientific language, often complex, dense and decontextualized, can hinder student learning and the development of cognitive skills, such as critical thinking. The central problem of the investigation is to understand how context manifests itself in the text of natural science textbooks, specifically in the area of chemistry, based on the integration between Systemic-Functional Linguistics and the Theory of Legitimation Codes. The research is guided by three specific questions: (1) what is the relationship between contextualized and decontextualized language in the presentation of chemical concepts; (2) what metafunctions of language are present in the textual approach; and (3) what is the semantic profile constructed in the textbooks. The theoretical framework articulates Systemic-Functional Linguistics (SFL), by Michael Halliday, and the Theory of Legitimizing Codes (TLC), by Karl Maton, offering subsidies for the analysis of how language contributes to the legitimation of scientific discourses in the school context. The methodology adopted is based on a qualitative approach, according to Bogdan and Biklen (2013), and includes a systematic literature review and content analysis, according to Bardin (2016). The documents analyzed consist of science textbooks selected based on their relevance to the research objectives. The analysis followed the steps proposed by Bardin: pre-analysis, exploration of the material, and treatment of the results. The investigative process was structured in four topics that clearly and sequentially outline the stages of the analysis: (1) definition of the criteria for the selection of textbooks; (2) selection of chapters and units of analysis; (3) identification of the objects of analysis; and (4) construction of analytical instruments. The results indicate that, from the perspective of Halliday and LSF, the language of the textbooks analyzed is, for the most part, characterized by high semantic density and linguistic resources typical of school scientific discourse, such as nominalizations, technical terms, and more abstract constructions, which tends to distance the content from the students' daily lives and hinder the construction of meaning. In dialogue with Maton and TCL, it is observed that the discursive organization of textbooks shows a predominance of ascending semantic movements, with a strong concentration on levels of abstraction and less presence of descents that reconnect scientific knowledge to concrete contexts. This configuration reveals a weakening of the relationships between school knowledge and students' experiences, which may limit conceptual appropriation and the construction of broader meanings. In this scenario, the fundamental role of the teacher as a mediator of the teaching process stands out, responsible for promoting recontextualization movements and for establishing bridges between scientific discourse and students' experiences. By adapting, explaining, and reinterpreting the language of textbooks, teachers contribute to the construction of more balanced semantic waves and to a more critical, contextualized, and meaningful science learning experience.