A contribuição do Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ) na formação de professores de Línguas para Fins Específicos (LinFE)

Abstract

Based on the premise already confirmed in a previous extension project developed that there is not enough teacher training to work in the context of specific purposes, a research was conducted aiming to contribute for the continuous training of language teachers for this purpose via Federal Institute of Education Science and Technology of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), being a reference institution in the application of the approach in language classroom practices. The study followed the precepts of the qualitative approach for conducting a participatory action research of collaborative nature. To this end, two intervention moments were used with participants from one of the events held in the previous project (extension) that unfolded in this research. The generation of data was carried out through a questionnaire 33via Google Forms directed to eight participants and three narrative interviews that contemplate questions regarding the continuous training of language teachers and the role of events in the professional development of teachers. In addition, the research diary also provided data for an analysis, which was developed based on assertions related to research questions and objectives. The results suggest that specific training actions are an effective and efficient way of contributing to the continuous training of teachers for specific purposes, as these moments provide collaboration, updating and transformation via interaction between similar peers. The use of practical classroom reality for discussion and reflection at events provides a channel of mutual help, in which everyone feels they are protagonists in the process of co-construction of knowledge relevant to the contexts of performance. However, it is necessary to pay attention to criteria, so that the co-constructed knowledge seems to be practical, which makes learning significant and estimates future participation in other actions in a continuity movement that should be characteristic of the contemporary teacher, whether they are language teachers or from any other area. Another important professional finding is that more experienced teachers, in practice, already intuitively use the principles of ESP approach in classroom practices, especially those who work with private classes autonomously or in smaller courses. Even teachers of bigger franchises are already concerned with specific demands, as this is a reality in the market. Participants who have been already working using the approach, had the opportunity to review and deepen the theoretical background or their practices. Thus, it is concluded that continuous education is a good way to complement initial training in terms of knowledge to work with ESP or with any other challenge that language teaching-learning poses, in a vision of education that encourages teachers to be researchers