Reflexive teacher on orality appropriation in the foreign language teaching-learning process

This is a qualitative, documental and interpretative metasearch article on Applied Linguistics (LA) area, where the characteristics of the subjects involved (teachers and learners) in orality appropriation in the Foreign Language (LE) teaching-learning process are studied. In order to develop this article, theatrical texts, body and voice should be considered as appropriation mediators. The assumptions of Ortiz-Alvarez (2009) and Basso (2008) – reflexive competence – concerning the attitude of the teacher as a language professional who is reflexive on his/her practices, together with the definitions of Perrenoud (2000; 2008); Dewey (1959; [1916]2012; Freire (1975; 1976; 1984; 1996); Libâneo (2006) and Schön (1992; 2000) are here used. The professors metasearched on this article are Massaro (2001; 2007; 2008), from the University of São Paulo (USP) and Reis (2008; 2011; 2012), from the University of Brasilia(UnB); they are (re)analyzed according to the paradigms: a reflexive teacher in the exercise of his/her reflexive practices. The search for the conciliation between a practice peddled by theories and the classroom reality is visible on teachers’ thoughts – those professors not only contemplate their approaches and techniques, but also try to change or propose changes on the world perceptions of learners, other language teachers and, sometimes, their institutions. The term reflexivity is used to define the proposal of acting-thinking-(re)acting as a constant of language professionals lives. Along the reading of the metasearched professors’ work, it is noticed that they have a critical reflexive path (reflexivity) on their reflexive practices reality. They demand an emotional and cognitive involvement that supposes personal unique attitudes - such as an open mind that has the ability of listening to different opinions, with no prejudices or resistance which can block a certain question to be seen from a different point of view.

MULTI-WORD VERBS IN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING

This paper aims to analyze the approach of multi-word verbs in free digital resources for English learning. Multi-word verbs, which are widely known as phrasal verbs, are verbal English verbal combinations, formed from a verb and preposition or adverb, or both. From a functional standpoint, these verbal combinations and their different particles behave differently in syntactic terms (Greebaum & Quirk, 1990 and Downing & Locke (2006). Learning about these differences can be of great importance to foster fluency in the language, mainly at higher proficiency levels. At present, with the growing demand for learning English, many digital environments were made available. This paper analyzes 07 major websites for English learning in Brazil, in order to investigate how the topic is addressed. As a result, we argue that more precision and concision are required to approach the theme. This can be achieved, for example, by employing the term multi-word verbs, together with a more precise definition of its functional syntactic behavior. This paper argues that this change of approach is especially important in digital learning environments, in which there is not always a direct mediation of the teacher or specialist.

Beliefs about teaching and learning English in elementary school: a case study

ABSTRACT: With this work I aim to identify and inter relate the beliefs of the students from a public school about English language learning, and my beliefs as the students’ teacher about English teaching. To conduct this research I used reflexive diaries as instruments for data collection, they were written throughout the semester by the teacher and the students in a state school from Minas Gerais. With the analysis of the diaries, I noticed that the diary is a profitable tool for the apprehension of beliefs of the students and the teacher. Furthermore, students seem to be more accountable for learning, decentralizing the role of teacher.

TEXT GENDERS AND DIDATIC TOOLS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING PORTUGUESE

The aim of this article is to propose thoughts on the process of teacher formation, theoretically based on the principles of discourse as social interaction that defend the idea that the development of people happens in social activities, in an environment constituted and organized by different pre-constructions and by means of mediation processes, mostly language-related ones. Thus, since birth, people can get these so-called social pre-constructions, what permit their development and, dialectically, enables them to contribute for their own permanent transformation. With this in mind, we assume that the role of the linguist in activities related to teacher formation goes far beyond the supply of subjects adequate for teaching, for this work approaches all the levels of educational activity, with a critical, collaborative and methodologically and theoretically developed attitude.

THE POLICY LANGUAGE OF THE PROJECT INTERCULTURAL BILINGUAL SCHOOLS OF BORDER OF THE MERCOSUR: SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING FOR THE BORDER AREAS

The present work belongs to the Sociolinguistics area, specifically to the Linguistic Politics research line, and it aims to infer from the analyses of official documents the MERCOSUL linguistic politics to its region and to its frontiers answering the question “which linguistic politics motivates the implementation of the Frontier’s Intercultural Bilingual Schools Project?” It is unveiled, then, different linguistic politics that request different teaching strategies, involving or a foreign language teaching (in the large scope of Mercosul) or a second language teaching (in the restricted scope of MERCOSUL’s frontiers). By analyzing the Brazil-Argentina Bilateral Meeting Reports of the Frontier’s Intercultural Bilingual Schools Project (PEIBF) and the sociolinguistic diagnostics done by the teams of the two countries in theirs respective cities, it is shown how the lack of a larger systematization of the differences between the Mercosul linguistic politics can be characterized as a hindrance to the development of PEIBF, once some of the proposals made by the argentine team responsible for the PEIBF seems to go at the meeting of the foreign language teaching and not at the meeting of the second language teaching.

Translation as a resource for the teaching of linguistic diversity in foreign language

Translation has played many roles in foreign language teaching. It has been, on the one hand, considered a fundamental methodological tool, constituting the core of the grammar-translation approach, and, on the other hand, heavily criticized and excluded from the classroom, whether from the practical or the theoretical point of view. Currently, with the communicative approach to language teaching, the study of language varieties has become very important to the learner, and considering the need to understand and interpret the meaning of a word within a specific socio-cultural context during the translation process, it is of paramount importance to acknowledge sociolinguistic variations in the text to be translated. Thus, our goal is to show, through a reflective analysis, that translation can be an educational resource for the teaching of linguistic diversity in foreign language. This study isbased on theoretical assumptions on translation dating from the time of Cicero and Saint Jerome to the present times.

Online discussion forums: a tool to stimulate language teachers’ interaction and reflection

The decisions and approaches taken by the teachers in the classroom are guided by their beliefs of what it means to teach and learn which are built along their history as a student and teacher. However, only the experiences lived by the teachers do not guarantee their professional development (CELCE-MURCIA, 2001). The teacher’s engagement in a process of reflection on their beliefs and pedagogical practices, which leads to the construction and reconstruction of meaning about their actions and the classroom is essential to their development, in order to become an agent of reflection. Considering the importance of reflection in teacher education, in this article, we emphasize the potential of virtual discussion forums to foster the sharing and the reflection of beliefs and practices of postgraduate students (language teachers) about the language teaching and learning process through interactive situations. By means of guidance and online and offline reflection, the students were able to share experiences on teaching and learning, as well as discuss their beliefs and the beliefs of their colleagues. The results of this study point out that understanding and interpreting the teachers’ beliefs can be a path to the transformation of their teaching practice through reflective practice. They also emphasize that the use of virtual discussion forums as a pedagogical tool can contribute in this direction.

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. 

BELIEFS ABOUT ENGLISH LEARNING AND TEACHING IN A TECHNICAL SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF PONTA PORÃ/MS

Abstract: This study is part of my master research, which aimed to investigate the beliefs about  English learning and teaching of students entering to a High School Course integrated to Computer Technician at a Federal High School in the city Ponta Pora / MS , located at the  border  with Paraguay . In the context , great part of the students coming from public schools in the region  had not studied English as a foreign language in elementary school , once it is located  in a region of the border with Paraguay , it offers only Spanish as a foreign language. The interest for this research came up as of conflicting situations between the teacher way of teaching and students ways of learning, especially of those who had not studied English in elementary school. Thus we tried to study the beliefs of these students, analyzing how they process in that context in order to promote reflection of the teacher  to perform actions of intervention in order to reduce the mismatches between the ways of teaching and the ways that the students believe to be the right to learn. Keywords: Beliefs; English Teaching and Learning; Context

PROGRAM MONITORING IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING/LEARNING SPANISH LANGUAGE FOR STUDENTS OF TOURISM

This article is about the lived experience in the Monitoring Programme of the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), during the discipline of Spanish Language Applied to Tourism, of the Tourism Course, in Parnaíba/PI. The study aims at getting to introduce students, teachers and researchers the importance of this academic practice, as well as to characterize the relevance of the teaching/learning of foreign language (FL), more specifically the Spanish as foreign language (ELE), for tourism activity and career of tourism professional. The methodology adopted was a bibliographical, documentary and field research with qualitative and quantitative approach. Thus, it can be state that the monitoring encourages the students to teach, associated with teaching activities, research and extension activities, and it contributes to the development of their intellectual, academic and professional abilities. Furthermore, subjects perceive the relevance of foreign language teaching in the classroom, including the teaching of SFL for the efficient development of their works in relation to tourism.

DIVERSITY, TEACHING AND LANGUAGE: WHAT CHALLENGES AND COMMITMENTS WILL THE CONTEMPORARY LANGUAGE PROFESSIONAL FACE?

In general, diversity can be conceptualized as the expression of opposites (BARROS, 2008). Despite the homogenization of several kinds and in the various areas promoted by the current process of globalization, the so-called ‘flat world’ will never be able to express the whole without considering the parts. In such a context of different ways of being in the world, language learning is a crucial condition for citizenship education, it is the key to get to know other people (BYRAM, 2006). Because of that, educational processes have been going through significant changes, fostering, among other things, postures aligned with the new world order, where the preparation of learners to able to exercise their rights at a global level and take advantage of mechanisms which guarantee their intercultural citizenship, has continually gaining ground. Linguistic education has been taking a similar path. In its scope, discourses and pedagogical practices which take into consideration the sociopolitical character of any educational process start to be required. In other words, it has been demanded an egalitarian linguistic education which, above all, struggles for diversity and is able to guarantee total inclusion, creating ample opportunities, especially for those learners who come from less privileged classes and historically marginalized groups. Having human diversity in the background, the article aims to discuss the role of the contemporary language teaching professional, highlighting the challenges and commitments which await them at different levels, and the central position this professional occupies at this crucial moment of the global society in which we fight for the historical, cultural and social (re)construction of our differences.

FOR A SOCIOINTERACIONIST CONCEPTION OF LANGUAGE: GUIDELINES FOR THE TEACHING OF PORTUGUESE

The text displayed here makes considerations around the social interaction conception of language and, based on that, understands it as a fundament for didactic and methodological approaches of language teaching and, similarly, relates it to social practices, which means understanding the interactions as fundamental for the process of development and learning of the human being. To do so, this text goes back to Vygotsky, according to whom the relationships of interaction are favorable to the development of language, as the beginning and the development of cognition are charged upon language and social interactions. We discussed language – which is conceived as a historical fact and the result of collective actions that men developed in working processes along history – through a theoretical standpoint.

The Practice of Reading, Writing Papers and Linguistic Analysis in Teaching Portuguese: A Proposal for the Organization of Everyday School Life from the Perspective of Multiliteracies

This paper aims to reflect on the teaching of Portuguese language in the context of twenty-first century, taking as its starting point the proposal of multiliteracies. We propose to discuss the applicability of genres in the classroom as a condition to ensure the construction of fundamental knowledge to social practices of language. For this, we rely on recent studies on the possibilities that the genre can bring to practice reading, writing papers, and linguistic analysis. We intend, therefore, to assist the planning of teachers who still find themselves unsure on curricula that suggest what they have to do, but did not say how. Understand the reason why this work is another contribution to the teaching of Portuguese in the final years of elementary school and high school bringing out a space for discussion about what needs to be taught and some teaching procedures that favor the democratization of school and interaction linguistics. Curricular innovations and new ways of thinking about teaching and learning of mother tongue are already part of the reflections of most professionals, but there is still an open field to think of more effective alternatives through multimodality an interactionist conception of language.

DICT IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM: CHALLENGES IN ITS APPROPRIATION BY BEGINNER-LEVEL TEACHERS IN TRAINING

Our work is primarily concerned with the challenges involved in the appropriation of DICT by beginner-level participants of the Institutional Program for Scholarships for Initiation in Teaching in Brazil. Although the current generation of beginner-level undergraduate students may be seen as “digital natives”, their use of digital technologies, however frequent, takes place only outside the school environment. The technology skills which they acquire in their daily lives are not transposed to the classroom when they find themselves in the position of teachers. It is still challenging to understand their difficulties in appropriating technology to educational purposes, since educational agents seem all to agree on how important digital technologies are in school, while failing to put it to actual classroom use, and while simply providing access to digital technology is far from sufficient. These skills should be understood and applied in schools by meaningful teaching practice, which should go beyond the mere instrumental use of technology. Therefore, we here focus on the process of elaboration of digital technologies assisted teaching practices in the foreign language classroom. Our corpus is composed of classroom activities and classroom interventions, elaborated and staged by beginner-level teachers in training, who are the project participants, during the course of a school year. These activities comprise the development of an intervention project, which consists of an activity plan, its critical discussion, its application and further reflection.