Entre letras e trilhas: um jogo educacional físico-digital como aliado no processo de alfabetização

Abstract

Literacy in the early years remains one of the greatest challenges in basic education, especially in a context where students are immersed in digital technologies from a very young age while still experiencing school practices marked by repetition and the predominance of traditional methods. This mismatch highlights the need for innovative pedagogical approaches capable of promoting engagement, meaning-making, and consistent learning. Within this context, the present study investigated the contributions of a hybrid — physical and digital — game to the literacy process of 1st-grade students in elementary school, considering the principles of playfulness, inclusion, and pedagogical mediation, in alignment with the competencies and skills established by the Brazilian National Common Core Curriculum (BNCC, 2017). The general objective was to analyze how the use of a board game combined with online challenges accessed via QR codes can support vowel recognition, syllable formation, and word construction. More specifically, the study sought to identify the effects of the intervention on student engagement, phonological awareness, peer cooperation, and the participation of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), thereby expanding the understanding of inclusive pedagogical practices. The research adopted a qualitative approach, using action research, conducted in a private school in the city of Ponta Grossa (PR), with four 1st-grade classes (25 students per class). Data collection involved participant observations, audiovisual recordings, student productions, and teacher reports, all analyzed through Content Analysis. The intervention was carried out in two phases: initially, diagnostic activities focused on the recognition of vowels, consonants, and syllable formation; subsequently, the hybrid game was implemented in small groups, integrating physical and digital challenges with different levels of complexity. The results indicated notable differences among the classes: students from calmer and more collaborative groups (Classes A and C) demonstrated greater autonomy in carrying out the activities and advanced more quickly to the construction of more complex words; meanwhile, more restless or timid classes (Classes B and D) required greater teacher mediation but also showed enthusiasm and significant progress. All classes exhibited high engagement, strong interest in the digital challenges, and active participation in collective moments, confirming the motivating potential of the playful approach. Additionally, the effective inclusion of students with ASD was observed, as they interacted, solved the challenges, and were supported by their peers, highlighting the inclusive nature of the proposal. The study concludes that the hybrid game contributed to strengthening vowel recognition, syllable formation, and word construction, while also fostering cooperation, student agency, and autonomy. The intervention demonstrated that integrating manipulable materials and digital resources can make the literacy process more interactive, inclusive, and aligned with contemporary educational demands, reinforcing the importance of playfulness and pedagogical mediation. Thus, the educational product developed proves to be replicable in other school contexts, with the potential to enrich literacy practices in the early years of elementary education.