A instituição do ensino de primeiras letras no Brasil (1757-1827)

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the schooling process of the elementary knowledge which occurred in Portugal and its provinces, especially in Brazil, during the public educational reforms promoted by Pombal. The following sources were analyzed: legislation, classical authors regarded as the precursors of the theory concerning the elementary school, and some theoretical assumptions of cultural history (ANDERSON, 2008); (CHARTIER, 1991, 1998); (CHERVEL, 1990); (FALCON, 1993); (HEBRARD, 1990, 1999); (VICENT, LAHIRI AND THIN, 2001), history of education (ANDRADE (1978); (CARVALHO, 1978); (OLIVEIRA, 2010a) and the linguistic historiography (BUESCU, 1969), (HUE, 2007); (OLIVEIRA, 2010b). After the analysis of the quality of their expressions I just removed the significances. In order to consolidate the collected data, the following books were analyzed: Diálogo em louvor da nossa linguagem (1540), Nova escola para aprender a ler, escrever e contar (1722) and Apontamentos para a educação de hum menino nobre (1734), aiming to highlight the principles and guidelines of the public educational reforms promoted by Pombal, in the period which starts in 1757 and ends in 1827. Chronologically speaking, this dissertation covers the aspects of the institution of the First Letters teaching, due to the projects which are linked to this research, and the fact that in 1757 the Lei do Diretório dos Índios do Grão Pará e Maranhão was promulgated. Through this law, the Portuguese language was unified and became official in all the territories under the rule of the Lusitanian crown, and, in 1827, the law which authorized the opening of First Letters schools in Brazil was promulgated. By confirming the many reasons of intersection of the pombaline law in these texts, it can be stated that the pedagogical project of these authors influenced the construction and consolidation of the guidelines of the public education established by the reforms of Pombal. Finally, the pedagogical plan implemented by Pombal standardized lessons and learnings of the First Letters in Portugal and its colonies as well, making the learning useful for the purposes of the state.