he municipality of São José dos Campos (state of São Paulo) extended the borders of literacy teaching by participating in the Além das Letras (Beyond Letters) Program. Whereas traditional methods view literacy mostly as the ability to decode written texts, the city schools began to teach literacy with a focus on critical reading and the organization of ideas in writing. As in São José dos Campos, 39 other Brazilian towns are assisted through the program. The goal is to reach 10% of the country’s municipalities by 2010.

The initiative contributes to improving the quality of teaching in public primary schools. The Avisa Lá Institute, coordinator of Além das Letras, analyzes the educational system of the various towns, identifies process failures and supports the development of literacy projects based on the needs of each area. The consultancy takes place by means of an annual meeting held in São Paulo, monthly online forums and individual weekly meetings. The program also promotes the exchange of positive experiences between the municipalities. The virtual meetings take place at the website www.alemdasletras.org.br.

The students’ performance is closely monitored by the Avisa Lá Institute, which evaluates their progress through sampling. The analysis determines the youths’ reading and writing fluency. Além das Letras has been ranked as one of the top three educational practices in Brazil by the Latin American Institute for Communication and Education (ILCE).

The project stems from a partnership between the Gerdau Group, the Avisa Lá Institute and the Razão Social Institute.