Comportamento verbal e ensino: análise da formação de repertórios verbais em ambientes escolares sob a perspectiva de Skinner

Abstract

The application of Skinner's (1957) theory of verbal behavior to school teaching still lacks detailed investigations into the environmental contingencies that shape and maintain verbal repertoires. This research conducted a literature review to analyze the establishment of these repertoires from the perspective of radical behaviorism. Scientific works addressing language as operant behavior were examined, focusing on the teacher's role as a listener and mediator, as well as the environmental variables that promote verbal learning. The review prioritized studies with methodological rigor and alignment with the functional analysis of behavior, identifying school practices that strengthen verbal operants. The results highlighted the importance of pedagogical listening in sustaining verbal interactions in the classroom. Teachers who respond sensitively to students' verbal emissions reinforce and expand their verbal behavior. Furthermore, the distinction between speaker and listener repertoires, proposed by Skinner, provides guidelines for effective pedagogical interventions. It is concluded that language, as operant behavior, depends on specific contingencies for its emergence and maintenance. A school environment structured around functional analysis favors lasting verbal repertoires, reinforcing the need for pedagogical practices grounded in scientific principles.