“O que te traz ao curso preparatório?”: Tecendo entendimentos sobre a trajetória de alunos que aspiram à carreira militar

Abstract

This research is placed into the area of Applied Linguistics (MOITA LOPES, 2006) and is conducted by the guiding principles of Exploratory Practice (ALLWRIGHT, 2003). This dissertation is the result of a reflective process developed with a group of students from a community of practice (WENGER, 1999), more precisely a community of Exploratory Practice (SILVA, 2021; MORAES BEZERRA; SILVEIRA, in submission) of a military preparatory course located in the metropolitam area of Rio de Janeiro. Due to the new Corona virus pandemic, all interactions with research practitioners took place in a virtual environment, mediated by Google Meet and WhatsApp. The objective of this work is to develop understandings about the trajectory followed by my students in their process of becoming students who aspired to a military career. In this investigation there is also room for reflections on the teaching of Language for Specific Purposes (HUTCHINSON and WATERS, 1987; CELANI, 1994; RAMOS, 2005), not only because it is the approach that guides my practice in this context, but also because I am interested in understanding, with the help of my students, how they perceive learning English in their personal project to be approved in the entrance test for the Escola de Especialistas da Aeronáutica (School of Specialists of Aeronautics) and the Escola de Sargento das Armas (School of Sergeant of Arms). I also add considerations about affection (ARNOLD and BROWN, 1999; ARNOLD, 2011, ARAGÃO, 2011) as it presents itself in the language (OCHS and SCHIEFFELIN, 1989; BESNIER, 1990). Therefore, I seek to understand the place of affection in this teaching-learning process, in addition to turning my attention to the different kinds of affect that my students bring with them in class and in the course.