Epistemology of reading and the formation of the literary reader: perspectives on tensions between literary and academic knowledge

Abstract

This article analyzes the epistemology of reading and its relationship to the development of literary readers in elementary school, highlighting tensions between school knowledge and literary knowledge. This qualitative, descriptive, and interpretative study was conducted in a state public school in Pau dos Ferros, Rio Grande do Norte, with two classes (4th and 5th grades) and their teachers. Twenty students, selected to represent different levels of reading proficiency, participated, along with their teachers, whose responses were fully considered. Data were collected through questionnaires administered to students and teachers, containing open- and closed-ended questions. The data were organized into thematic categories and analyzed in light of theoretical frameworks proposed by Freire, Vygotsky, Colomer, Cosson, and Petit. The results reveal a mismatch between the teachers' critical conceptions of reading and the students' experiences, characterized by the lack of structured reading moments and the perception of the activity as a school task. Despite pedagogical intentions, literature still fails to present itself, in many cases, as an aesthetic and humanizing experience. The study concludes that the development of literary readers requires intentional, sensitive, and committed teacher mediation, promoting critical reflection, autonomy, and enchantment in the reading experience.