Questões de Concursos: Ensino da Língua Estrangeira Inglesa

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Consider these anecdotes:

1. An ESL teacher instructs a group of 7 children every day for 45 minutes. They sing “I’m a Little Teapot” over and over again. Standing, they make gestures to show the tea pouring out. “I’m a little teapot, short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout. When I get it all steamed up, hear me shout, just tip me over and pour me out”. And then the group starts again…

2. In visiting a class of a successful ESL teacher, you are struck that each activity lasts no more than ten minutes, that children are usually in movement - making something, holding something, moving their hands and walking somewhere.

There are few major contrasts that we can make between child and adult ESL learners. Children are more likely to play with language than adults are. In general, children are more holistic learners who need to use language for authentic communication in ESL classes.

In a children’s class, activities need to be child centered and communication should be authentic. Several themes repeatedly come up:

•  Focus on meaning, not correctness.

•  Focus on the value of the activity, not the value of language.

•  Focus on collaboration and social development.

•  Provide a rich context, including movement, the senses, objects and pictures, and a variety of activities.

•  Teach ESL holistically, integrating the four skills.

•  Treat learners appropriately in the light of their age and interests. •  Treat language as a tool for children to use for their own social and academic ends.

(S. Peck. Developing Children´s Listening and Speaking. IN: Marianne

Cerce-Murcia(ed). Teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Boston, Massachusstes: Heinle&Heinle. 2nd edition. 2001. Adaptado)

Native-speakerism is an ideology that upholdsthe idea that so-called “native speakers” are the best models and teachers of English because they represent a “Western culture” from which spring the ideals both of English and of the methodology for teaching it (Holliday, 2005, p. 6). As an ideology, it is a system of ideas that represents a distorted worldview that supports a particular vested interest. The vested interest in the case of nativespeakerism is the promotion by the ELT industry of the so-called “native speaker” brand. The realization that this is an ideologically constructed brand derives from Phillipson’s (1992) linguistic imperialism thesis that the concept of the “native speaker” as a superior model and teacher was explicitly constructed by American andBritish aid agencies in the 1960s to support their agenda of spreading English as a global product.

Further indication that the “native speaker” brand is an ideological construction is that the native-non-native speaker distinction is not self-evident on technical linguistic or even nationality grounds. It is instead a professionally popularized distinction that has been falsely associated with cultural orientation (Kubota & Lin, 2006). Teachers who are labeled “native speakers” have been falsely idealized as organized and autonomous in fitting with the common yet mistaken description of so-called “individualist cultures” of the West; while teachers who are labeled “non-native speakers” are demonized as deficient in these attributes in fitting with the common yet mistaken description of so-called “collectivist cultures” of the non-West (Holliday, 2005, p. 19, citing Kubota, Kumaravadivelu, Nayar, and Pennycook). The collectivist stereotype is itself considered to be a Western construction of non-Western cultural deficiency. An example of this is a British teacher’s reference to a superior “native speaker” “birthright” at the same time as criticizing, albeit without foundation, not only the linguistic and pedagogic performance, but also the cultural background and proficiency of his “non-native speaker” colleagues (Holliday & Aboshiha, 2009, p. 667).

The Othering of teachers who are labeled “non-native speakers” therefore results in a cultural disbelief—not believing in their ability to teach English within a Western, and indeed superficially constructed “learning group ideal” that is characterized by “active” oral expression, initiation, self-direction, and students working in groups and pairs (Holliday, 2005, p. 44). The association of the “non-native speaker” label with deficiency is also deeply rooted within a wider and equally mistaken Western perception that people from non-Western cultural backgrounds are unable to be critical and self-determined.

Excerpt extracted and adapted from: https://adrianholliday.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/nativespeakerism-proofs.pdf

O texto I refere-se à questão.

Learning English as a second language can be a long and challenging process. Students often face difficulties such as unfamiliar grammar rules, pronunciation differences, and vocabulary gaps. However, one factor that significantly affects success in learning is motivation. Motivated students tend to participate more actively in class, complete assignments, and practice the language outside the classroom.

There are two main types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from the student’s internal desire to learn, such as personal interest in English culture or the joy of learning new languages. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is related to external rewards, like passing an exam, getting a job promotion, or meeting school requirements. Both types of motivation play an important role in language learning.

Teachers can use different strategies to increase student motivation. One effective method is to create engaging and meaningful activities. For example, using real-life situations like roleplays, interviews, or debates can make students feel that what they are learning is useful and relevant. Also, providing positive feedback and celebrating small achievements helps build student confidence and encourages continuous effort.

Another essential factor is setting realistic goals. When students see progress over time, such as learning a certain number of new words per week or being able to hold a short conversation, they feel more motivated to continue. Clear and achievable targets make the learning process less overwhelming and more enjoyable.

Finally, it is important for teachers to understand the individual needs and interests of their students. Adapting lessons to include topics that students enjoy, such as music, movies, or travel, can make classes more dynamic and inspiring. Motivation is not something fixed; it can grow with the right teaching approach and a supportive classroom environment.

Native-speakerism is an ideology that upholdsthe idea that so-called “native speakers” are the best models and teachers of English because they represent a “Western culture” from which spring the ideals both of English and of the methodology for teaching it (Holliday, 2005, p. 6). As an ideology, it is a system of ideas that represents a distorted worldview that supports a particular vested interest. The vested interest in the case of nativespeakerism is the promotion by the ELT industry of the so-called “native speaker” brand. The realization that this is an ideologically constructed brand derives from Phillipson’s (1992) linguistic imperialism thesis that the concept of the “native speaker” as a superior model and teacher was explicitly constructed by American andBritish aid agencies in the 1960s to support their agenda of spreading English as a global product.

Further indication that the “native speaker” brand is an ideological construction is that the native-non-native speaker distinction is not self-evident on technical linguistic or even nationality grounds. It is instead a professionally popularized distinction that has been falsely associated with cultural orientation (Kubota & Lin, 2006). Teachers who are labeled “native speakers” have been falsely idealized as organized and autonomous in fitting with the common yet mistaken description of so-called “individualist cultures” of the West; while teachers who are labeled “non-native speakers” are demonized as deficient in these attributes in fitting with the common yet mistaken description of so-called “collectivist cultures” of the non-West (Holliday, 2005, p. 19, citing Kubota, Kumaravadivelu, Nayar, and Pennycook). The collectivist stereotype is itself considered to be a Western construction of non-Western cultural deficiency. An example of this is a British teacher’s reference to a superior “native speaker” “birthright” at the same time as criticizing, albeit without foundation, not only the linguistic and pedagogic performance, but also the cultural background and proficiency of his “non-native speaker” colleagues (Holliday & Aboshiha, 2009, p. 667).

The Othering of teachers who are labeled “non-native speakers” therefore results in a cultural disbelief—not believing in their ability to teach English within a Western, and indeed superficially constructed “learning group ideal” that is characterized by “active” oral expression, initiation, self-direction, and students working in groups and pairs (Holliday, 2005, p. 44). The association of the “non-native speaker” label with deficiency is also deeply rooted within a wider and equally mistaken Western perception that people from non-Western cultural backgrounds are unable to be critical and self-determined.

Excerpt extracted and adapted from: https://adrianholliday.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/nativespeakerism-proofs.pdf

Leia o texto para responder à questão.

One of the major foci of applied linguistics scholarship has been the foreign or second language classroom. A glance through the past century or so of language teaching gives us an interesting picture of varied interpretations of the best way to teach a foreign language. As schools of thought have come and gone, so have language teaching trends waxed and waned in popularity.

Albert Marckwardt (1972) saw these “changing winds and shifting sands” as a cyclical pattern where a new paradigm of teaching methodology emerged about every quarter of a century, with each new method breaking from the old but at the same time taking with it some of the positive aspects of the previous paradigm. One of the best examples of the cyclical nature of methods is seen in the revolutionary Audiolingual Method (ALM) of the late 1940s and 1950s. The ALM borrowed principles and beliefs from its predecessor by almost half a century, the Direct Method, while breaking away entirely from the Grammar-Translation paradigm. Within a short time, however, ALM critics were advocating more attention to rules of language which, to some, smacked a return to Grammar Translation.

(BROWN, H.Douglas. Principles of language learning and teaching.

5th ed. Longman, 2000. Adaptado)