SCRATCH AS A PEDAGOGICAL TOOL FOR THE READING TRAINING OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND AS A FACILITATOR OF SOCIALIZATION

Autism. Scratch. Literature. Inclusion. Socialization.

The right to enroll students with special needs in regular schools is guaranteed, but the provision of adequate services that ensure the learning of these students in schools in the state education system of Rio Grande do Sul still faces many obstacles. There has been a significant increase in the enrollment of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a condition that affects brain development and influences behavior, communication, and interaction with the world. Serving these students has become one of the greatest demands for specialized educational services in schools. The challenges intensify especially in the final years of elementary school, when the curriculum begins to be fragmented into areas of knowledge, with several different teachers. Given this scenario, this research proposes the development of an educational product capable of contributing to the learning of these students, entitled “Oficina Literadeira”. The product will be implemented with six autistic students, between the ages of 12 and 15, focusing on the development of the linguistic skills of this group. The workshop will integrate technology, literature, and playful and interactive activities, aiming to answer the research question: “How can Scratch contribute to the reading development of students with ASD and collaborate with the socialization of these students?” Scratch is a digital tool, inspired and based on the spiral and the 4Ps of creative learning, used in several countries to boost student learning. It offers an environment of unlimited possibilities by allowing “wide walls”, recognizing that creativity cannot be measured or limited. At the same time, it is inclusive, as it allows everyone to start at their own pace, even without prior knowledge of the tool. This flexibility allows exploration, stimulates autonomy and the development of skills, fostering learning. The research will combine bibliographic review and application of the product, using an action research methodology. Data will be collected through the researcher's observations, recorded in a field diary, and through interviews with participating students and their guardians throughout the process. The objective is to verify whether the use of the creative computing platform Scratch can contribute to the development of reading and writing skills of students with ASD, reducing the linguistic barriers that hinder the creation of the reading habit and textual comprehension, consequently impacting the learning of other curricular components. In addition, the research intends to discover whether the social aspect of reading, combined with the collaboration provided by Scratch, can promote the socialization of students. Considering, according to Vygotsky, that learning occurs through interaction with others, it is expected that the use of a collaborative platform, such as Scratch, can contribute to the development of students' social and communication skills. The results of this research may benefit teachers and education professionals who work with students with ASD, providing support for the development of more inclusive pedagogical activities that are appropriate to their needs.