TEACHER EDUCATION AND THE APPRECIATION OF TRADITIONAL GAMES IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION: KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND CHALLENGES IN SANTA TEREZA DO OESTE – PR

Abstract

This article analyzes teacher education and the appreciation of traditional games in Elementary Education, considering the knowledge, practices, and challenges faced by teachers in the municipality of Santa Tereza do Oeste – PR, Brazil. Grounded in the Brazilian National Education Guidelines and Framework Law (LDB) and the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), as well as in theoretical contributions from authors such as Nóvoa, Tardif, Kishimoto, Libâneo, Perrenoud, and Imbernón, the study discusses the importance of both initial and continuing teacher education for consolidating pedagogical practices that intentionally integrate play into the school curriculum. The research adopts a mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) approach and was conducted with 45 public elementary school teachers through a structured questionnaire applied in person. The findings indicate that most teachers feel only partially prepared to work with traditional games, participate occasionally in continuing education courses, and highlight the need for greater institutional support and access to specific teaching materials. It is concluded that strengthening teacher education policies and ensuring adequate structural conditions are essential for consolidating traditional games as a meaningful pedagogical strategy in Elementary Education.