Percepções de alunos egressos de institutos de idiomas sobre seu conhecimento linguístico em exames de Inglês para mestrado e doutorado: um estudo à luz do sistema de avaliatividade

Abstract

Mother language use (ML) plays a role in proficiency exams of Foreign Language (FL) which are taken as evaluation tools in graduate degrees in Brazil as they make use to a great extent of translation and reading comprehension of a text written in English. However, English courses tend to leave ML out of teaching-learning process. Another important issue lies on the quality and comprehensiveness paid to reading comprehension, although it is known that English courses teach the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in classrooms. In light of this scenario, this study aims to appraise the perception of the English learning process of thirteen students when they faced the need of undergoing English exams as part of Master´s and Doctoral degree selection. Here, we turned our attention to the use of language concerning the objective of reading comprehension, one of the possible branches of the theoretical background of English for Specific Purposes. In this sense, we have taken support from Hutchinson & Waters (1987, p. 19), once they focus on learner-centered approach as well as on the needs the student brings at some moment of his/her professional or academic life. In order to do so, thirteen participants´ perceptions were collected by means of Focus group technique, concerning the way they have learnt English language over the years. The Appraisal System, proposed by Martin & White (2005) and others, was employed to analyze their realizations, under the scope of Systemic-Functional Linguistics, particularly the semantic domain of Attitude to investigate their opinions. Despite students performed all the categories over Attitude sub-system, Affect and Appreciation were the most frequently used, once their speeches reveal not only the way they felt and still feel when playing the part of students under the current available methods, but also their criticism regarding English learning methodologies. We observed 10 negative Appreciations concerning debarment of ML from the part of language institutes besides 11 negative Appreciations in relation to English language teaching at schools.