Working with Pedagogical Projects at School: Implications for Teacher Education

This work aims at reflecting on possible implications of working with pedagogical projects for teacher education through the presentation of a pedagogical project proposal that is based on the genre poem and that is thought for the disciplines of Portuguese and Literature and for the higher grades of middle school. Firstly, we present the theoretical basis that lies behind the pedagogical project proposal and the discussion about its possible implications for teacher education. Thus we present and discuss the concepts of language use (CLARK, 2000), discourse genres (BAKHTIN, 2003), pedagogical project (HERNÁNDEZ, 2004; LEITE; MENDES, 2004; SCHLATTER; GARCEZ, 2012) and teacher education (NÓVOA, 1992). Next we treat the project based on the theoretical basis presented more fully, justifying the choice for its theme – urban life – and for its main genre – poem – and elucidating its objectives and possible final products. Based on that, we present and analyze its different steps. Considering the discussions about the theoretical basis used and the project, we then talk about how this way of working at school can influence teacher education, more specifically how the axis use-reflection-use and the concept of discourse genre can hold implications for teacher education, as well as we discuss about some of the roles of the teacher who works with pedagogical projects. Therefore, we bring to light a reflection and discussion that elucidate the issue of the development of pedagogical projects at school and its influence on the teacher's education and performance, taking into consideration that this approach is based on certain conceptions regarding what is understood by language, teaching and learning, pedagogical project, discourse genre and teacher's roles. 

COLLABORATIVE ACTION RESEARCH AND THE IMPACT ON TRAINING TEACHER IN COLLABORATION WITH A TEACHER IN SERVICE

This paper presents partial results of a collaborative action research conducted in a public school in Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul, with a training teacher, a teacher in service and a third year high school class. The collaborative action research, adopted methodology, is considered an alternative way to provide the opportunity for upgrading of in service and in training teachers (Burns 1999). The purpose was to create opportunities for all the participants assimilate a reading in English approach and the language as a sociocultural mediator. From this perspective, reading workshops were developed, whose purpose was to prepare training and in-service teachers for critical-reflexive practice of the classroom, emphasizing the importance of education that addresses cultural aspects of the English language. It was found, once again, that the collaborative work promotes reflection and hence improvements in teaching and learning, which can be significant, considering the lack of actions inspired by research aimed at public English language education in Brazil (CELANI, 2009).

Linguistic policies for the teaching of Italian in an immigration context

This article aims to analyze the development of the movement of implementation of a language policy for the Italian teaching in an old Italian immigration area in Vale do Itajaí, SC. The data for the discussion come from a larger study of qualitative nature. For this article, some records were selected from an effective teacher of Italian, who acts in the public school of the city which is focus of the research and field notes. Through a semi-structured interview, the teacher talked about the place of languages in the studied context. The data were analyzed from the theoretical Applied Linguistics, in the context of language policies in a dialogue with the education, with regards to education in a minority language context. It seems that, with the discussion, the issue of recognizing the immigration language as a subject in the school curriculum, has happened through local movements’ aiming to institution of a language policy for the immigration language, recognizing it as a culture language. As contributions, the survey results provide subsidies to (re) think the education that has been offered in intercultural contexts and language education in initial and continuing teacher training.

Intercultura nas Escolas e na Formação de Professores de Línguas: O Exemplo do Curso de Letras-Italiano da UFPR

Intercultura nas escolas: o italiano como língua e cultura na rede pública de ensino é um dos projetos de iniciação à docência vinculados ao Licenciar, um programa institucional cujo objetivo é apoiar as Licenciaturas da Universidade Federal do Paraná por meio da oferta de bolsas aos alunos, da orientação aos coordenadores, do acompanhamento pedagógico dos projetos e da organização e promoção de eventos para discussão e socialização dos conhecimentos gerados a partir de projetos. O projeto do italiano, coordenado por mim há oito anos, procura promover uma formação de professores fundamentada desde os primeiros semestres do curso, possibilitando aos graduandos o desenvolvimento da própria competência intercultural e a de crianças da rede municipal de Curitiba, parceira do projeto. No ano de 2017, foram oferecidas Oficinas de sensibilização à língua e à cultura italiana em duas escolas da cidade, cujos planejamento, andamento e resultados são relatados neste trabalho. Apresento também algumas considerações sobre o meu processo de amadurecimento na formação de professores de italiano como língua estrangeira.

Graphical interface for reading and writing in teacher education

ABSTRACT From a broader project, this paper presents a synthesis of theoretical reflections and principles of basic practical procedures for teacher training, focusing on teaching and learning of reading and writing in High School in Brazil. We present a brief history of the academic production, after the redemocratization of the years 1980/90 and we comment some topics proposed by the public policies. We emphasize writing specificities as a technological instrument, decisive for reading and producing texts. Finally, we present two reading practices based on methodological procedures for the graphic treatment of texts. The goal is to put the reader in a position to understand the processes of text construction in the position of authorship. Such practices mobilize "game" senses that affect the reader in the relations of language with writing as a graphic interface and analytical instrument.   Keywords: Reading, Writing; High school.

THE PRACTICE OF ORAL PRODUCTION CONCERNING THE CONTINUING EDUCATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY

The scope of the present study is to comprehend the professional identity of a group of English Teachers. The research sought the answer to the following question: How does the mastery of the speaking aspect of the English Language influence teacher’s professional identity? The choice of the topic arose during a continuing education course offered by the authors of the present work, whose partakers were EFL teachers. The research took into consideration both, experiences observed during the continuing education course and relevant data collected with the help of an open questionnaire, which participants answered at the end of the course. Contemporary literature also supported the conclusions concerning teacher’s professional identity and its close relation to two important factors: the way teachers perceive themselves and how others see them. Regarding the English Language Teacher professional identity, the participants of the research stated that professionals from this area are not as valued as they should; in their opinion, the lack of oral fluency of most teachers is a key factor on the existence of a professional misrepresentation. Results have shown that, for them, oral fluency is essential for academic and social recognition of their profession. All participants stressed the need of continuing education in terms of oral practice, due to the lack of opportunity of practicing the English Language daily. They also pointed that teachers with limited-fluency tend to avoid the use of the target language in order to “hide their deficit” on EL; on the other hand, teachers that are fluent in English “feel safer and with self-steam”. We have concluded, from our research, that the oral fluency is indeed important for the constitution of English Language teacher’s professional identity, exerting a positive influence on it. On the other hand, the fact of not being fluent in English Language contributes for the so called “teacher’s professional identity crisis”. 

The study of the English language from the perspective of literacies: manifestations of diversity in higher education

This article aims to reflect on language teaching in academic education in the Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science at the University of Mato Grosso (Unemat), Campus Colider held in the Practice of English Language Teaching. Search illustrate the approach of the educational reality with the use of technology through the English language, where their theoretical knowledge underlie actual practices in the construction of knowledge necessary for teacher education. The methodological procedures contemplated primarily a literature search, following the presentation of teaching experience of teaching English Language in Higher Education and its reflections that comprised a search field. The practices were entered into the Continuing Extension Project of Graduates and Graduates of the Computer Science Department of the University Campus Valley of Teles Pires (Colider), located in the northern region of Mato Grosso. The interdisciplinary approach encompassing the Practice Teaching and Extension Project was to develop activities that involve observation and reflection of the school reality, aiming at the performance in context, in this case the integration of educational games in the discipline of English Instrumental. The enrolled data indicated that the theoretical and practical knowledge, in view of literacies, new literacies, multiliteracies and critical literacies, enhances the quality of education. Finally, it is possible to signal that this practice, as a curriculum component of a degree course, offered analytical reflections on the educational space, using games as a tool for meaningful learning. This highlights the importance of the relationship between theory and practice in teacher training. Thus, Teaching Practices were a space of transformative praxis that sought to promote autonomy and preparation of critical-reflective teachers who are committed to their professional development.