Ensino de língua inglesa nas escolas públicas brasileiras: é possível que a aprendizagem aconteça?

Abstract

English teaching in Brazilian public schools: is it possible that the learning happens? This research aims to present and evaluate an English class proposal for a 1st year high school group in a public school in the city of São Paulo. The observation of this particular context during the supervised internship enabled the perception of limits as to the teaching and learning of the English language, such as the nearly absolute priority given to multiple-choice exercises typical of tests as Enem and university entrance exams, and the resulting low engagement of students in terms of both task completion and class participation. The theoretical basis of this paper covers texts and reflections about the teaching of English in Brazilian public schools, about beliefs concerning the possibility of learning the language in such contexts, and about the use of gamification as an alternative to promote students' higher involvement in their own learning. The intervention proposal around “superlatives”, the theme of previous classes, includes opinion sharing, gamification, and directed debates. The results indicate the possibility of learning the English language in public schools as long as goals are clearly traced for this and the activities are thought accordingly to the participants’ interest and context