O inglês como democracia: um olhar autoetnográfico sobre as práticas de ensino e aprendizagem de língua inglesa na escola pública

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the meanings constructed from the practices I developed with students from a public school, in Maceió city, state of Alagoas. The research is located in Applied Linguistic field (MOITA LOPES, 2006; FABRÌCIO, 2006; PENNYCOOK, 2006) and it has na autoethnographic branch (ELLIS at al 2015). As instruments of research, I made use of class journals, class recordings and interview with my students. In the theoretical bases of this research I discuss my interaction with students through Volóchinov (VOLÓCHINOV, 2017) dialogical studies and through the beliefs studies (BARCELOS, 2006, 2007, 2011). I also discuss in this paper the theory of neoliberalism (BROWN, 2015; PATRICK, 2013) and democracy (MOISÉS, 2010; CABRAL NET), 1997). In the data interpretation, I highlight the learnings and “unlearnings” (my translation) experienced inside the classroom: the desire of transform the public classroom into the language school ones and its consequences; students reluctance in doing some class activities; the impression students had about themselves and how they felt the unique responsible for the learning process. I also demonstrate my interaction with the didactic book and my concerning with the production of a space that engages students and motivates them to participate. At last, I present the considerations of this paper, arguing the need of thinking English as a democratic practice during the process of teaching and learning as well as in the maintenance of English in the public school curriculum. Democracy in the concerning when realizing students’ self exclusion (LEFFA, 2007), when listening students’ demands, noticing their reality that is tough most of the time. Democracy when understanding additional languages in public school as a right that must be kept with the conditions needed for an accessible, free and quality learning and teaching process.