Basic Education and semiotics: from scientific discourse to classroom practice

Abstract

This Post-doctoral project intends to present and discuss which contributions can be offered by Discursive Semiotics to basic Education, especially concerning literacy practices within the classroom environment. Aiming to contribute to accomplishing all National Curricular Parameters (PCNs) concretization levels, this research proposes a thorough study about didactic transposition theory as developed by Yves Chevallard (1985, 1991). Our first main goal is to find a systematic comprehension on each stage and the directive principles throughout the adaptation process that knowledge must necessarily suffer when being transposed from scientific field to school. Subsequently, during the second part of our research, it is our aim to develop a didactization program for the theoretical-methodological propositions of Discursive Semiotics. As this theory is concerned with describing and comprehending the structural organisation of enunciates (utterances/discourses), and construction processes of meaning underlying diverse discursive-textual productions, it provides us with a model of analysis broad enough to be used as a reading (therefore writing) guide embracing the different discourse genres, considered by the PCNs the true subject of education. Nevertheless, regardless of the specific case of semiotics theory didactization, it is this research's general intent to develop a broader study concerning the didactic transposition of scientific discourses. It is most interested in contributing to the process of didactizing any linguistic theory whatsoever, considering it not only as a means to simplifying reference knowledges but as adaptive transformation to the new background, to another semiotic practice.