The demystification of global method

Abstract

I propose in this article, based on recent findings from neuroscience, demystifying the global method of learning how to read, which still boasts many supporters in Brazil, despite its official condemnation in countries like France. I trace a brief history of its emergence and unfolding, exemplifying the use in Brazil with some booklets. I present, then, empirical evidence from neuroscience about the biological constraints imposed to the retina for capturing more than twelve characters of the printed line during one fixation; in addition, I explain how the brain specialized region, called left ventral occipital-temporal one, processes written information, demonstrating that the recognition of the word does not occur by configuration. Adopting phonic methods does not imply ignoring the existence and necessity of top-down processing in parallel, since reading and learning are anchored in previous linguistic knowledge, driven to support the recognition of the written word. At the end, brief comments about phonic methods.