Função da reflexividade em grupos de conversação com adolescentes no contexto escolar

The present study examined the function of reflexivity (self-semiotic) as a continual dialog among past, present and future. Sixty adolescents enrolled in a public school from Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, took part in reflexive groups. Participants were divided into six groups, each of which meeting for one hour, only once. They discussed their experience as inhabitants of a poor neighborhood, as well as their relationships with teachers, peers and relatives. Meetings were videotaped, transcribed and analyzed in a sequence of three reflexive steps: qualitative description, thematic specification, and empathic and critical interpretation. The receptivity, empathy, and understanding of the group facilitator brought up a critical and exigent reflexivity that was able to settle the negative and positive aspects of development during adolescence. Participants´ speeches revealed internal conversations characterized as semiotic reflection, even though they were in a group situation. This study presents confirmatory elements for Nobert Wiley´s theory of the semiotic self. Keywords: juvenile adolescents; family relationships; urban violence; school experience; phenomenology.