Relations between Socioeconomic Status, Extracurricular Activities and Literacy

Abstract This study investigated the implications of socioeconomic status (SES) on literacy, in the inclusion of children in activities offered by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the impact of these actions on school performance. The research sample consisted of 560 students attending the second year of elementary school in eight municipal schools in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, including 301 male and 259 female participants. The data used were the results of Provinha Brasil and the SES of the schools. The results indicated that the rate of literacy in students did not exceed 62% of the total sample and the interference of SES in the academic performance and in the students’ association with NGOs. It is concluded that SES impacts school performance at the beginning of literacy, on the search by families for places to leave their children safely, such as NGOs, and the actions of these institutions indirectly influenced the literacy process.