The cultural-historical method and its contributions for the research of the development of writing in all-inclusive schools located in contexts of linguistic diversity

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the contributions of the cultural-historical method to the understanding of the process of learning how to write in schools located in contexts characterized by linguistic diversity, considering both educational inclusion of students with special needs, and from multicultural contexts. Vygotsky (1931/2000) states that his method has three principles: 1) Historical analyses; 2) Analyses of contradictions and interruptions in human development; 3) Assumption that science would not be necessary if essence and appearance was correspondent to each other. Vygotsky researched the higher psychological functions, including writing. The development of writing is mediated by special higher psychological functions, which are internal human capacities, such as memory and perception. One of the main approaches of the experimental and genetic method in the cultural-historical theory consists in creating some situations that allow us to observe how some individuals solve specific problems, aiming to observe the zone of proximal development, that is, all that the individual is not able to do alone, but can do with mediation and external help.