PERCEPÇÕES DAS ESTRATÉGIAS DE LEITURA EM TEXTOS DE DIVULGAÇÃO CIENTÍFICA NA FORMAÇÃO INICIAL DE PROFESSORES

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the perceptions of Chemistry teachers, both in initial and continuing education, regarding the use of reading strategies applied to popular science texts. The research was motivated by the need to include, in teacher education programs, activities that value reading as a formative practice, focusing on the development of reflective educators capable of understanding the reality in which they are inserted. A qualitative methodological approach was adopted, supported by quantitative data. The study involved the development of a popular science text entitled An Invisible Science: Black Scientists and Their Scientific and Social Contributions in the Field of Chemistry, accompanied by a guided reading script based on the reading strategies proposed by Isabel Solé (1998), structured in three stages: before, during, and after reading. This material was applied in a short course during the II Academic Week of Chemistry at the Federal University of Northern Tocantins (UFNT), with the participation of ten undergraduate students. After the activity, a questionnaire with open and closed questions was administered. The data were analyzed using content analysis, as proposed by Bardin (2016), and organized into five a priori categories. The main results indicated that the reading of popular science texts, mediated by well-structured strategies, was perceived as a useful resource to support content comprehension, promote reflection, and encourage engagement with the topics addressed. Additionally, it allowed participants not only to access scientific content but also to critically reflect on the historical, social, and epistemological contexts of scientific production and the Black representation in Chemistry. The limited familiarity reported by students regarding the strategies used highlights a gap still present in teacher education programs, which are mostly based on technical and non-dialogical approaches. It was concluded, therefore, that the applied reading script proved to be effective in both fostering discussions about the themes presented in the popular science text and broadening the perspectives of student teachers regarding teaching and the formative role of this type of text in science education.