MATHEMATICAL LITERACY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LITERACY: INTERFACES BETWEEN LANGUAGE, PROBLEM SOLVING AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN THE EARLY YEARS OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Abstract

Mathematical literacy has become a central topic in discussions on Mathematics teaching in the early years of elementary education, particularly in light of the need to move beyond practices focused on the mere reproduction of procedures and to promote learning grounded in the construction of meaning. In this context, this article aims to analyze the relationships among language, problem solving, and pedagogical practices in mathematical literacy from a literacy-based perspective. This is a qualitative, descriptive-analytical bibliographic study based on the analysis of Brazilian scientific publications and theoretical references in Mathematics Education. The corpus consisted of studies addressing mathematical literacy, mathematical literacy practices, language, problem solving, and pedagogical approaches in the early years of elementary education. The findings reveal a broad consensus in the literature that mathematical literacy extends beyond the mastery of computational procedures, encompassing the construction of meaning, the communication of ideas, teacher mediation, and students' participation in socially contextualized mathematical practices. Furthermore, the study found that problem solving and the appreciation of children's own strategies foster the development of mathematical thinking, while language plays a fundamental role in the construction, justification, and communication of mathematical knowledge. It is concluded that the integration of mathematical literacy, literacy practices, language, and inquiry-based pedagogical approaches expands learning opportunities in the early years of elementary education, contributing to Mathematics teaching that promotes conceptual understanding, students' intellectual autonomy, and their critical participation in diverse social contexts.