Children's Literacy Practices in a Pentecostal Bible Study Group

This paper shows results of an ethnographic study. Aimed to analyze literacy practices in a Bible study group that belongs to an evangelical pentecostal community in a rural area in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil. Data generated during insertions in the empirical field showed literacy that is intrinsic to religious practices, whose main literacy practice is reading the Bible, since it was usually included in tasks carried out by the children. The analysis was based on biblical storytelling which is used for evangelization in order to identify strategies that children usefor interpreting writing, reading and orality in this context. Results show that literacy practices experienced by the children are strongly connected to the social context and certain particularities which involve interaction that characterizes the religious group's culture. However, these literacy practices are permeated by the symbolic power which is perceived when ideas are instilled into children, while their behavior is shaped and they are led to accept dominant patterns which are then reproduced and considered legitimate and unquestionable.