External assessment in literacy classes in the state of Espírito Santo

Abstract The article aims at understanding the meanings produced for the Assessment of Elementary Education Programme of Espírito Santo - Literacy (Paebes-Alfa, from the Portuguese Programa de Avaliação da Educação Básica do Espírito Santo – Alfabetização). It uses the contributions from the Bakhtin Circle as its theoretical framework and it adopts case study as a research methodology, emphasizing the analysis of dialogues with and of the Programme’s participating subjects from one of the municipalities of Espírito Santo. The research corpus is constituted by documentary sources and records of dialogues during the application of Portuguese Language assessment tests carried out in first and second grade Elementary School classrooms. Despite the authoritative and prescriptive character of the Paebes-Alfa, the research concludes that the subjects produce critical perspectives toward the Programme, subverting the imposed order.