Formação continuada de professores de línguas estrangeiras mediada pelo cinema : contribuições da teoria da atividade
Abstract
This study lines up with the goals of the National Project for Teacher Education, Critical
Education, New Literacies and Multiliteracies which intend to contribute to Initial and
Continuing Education of Foreign Language Teachers. Its goal is to deepen the discussion of
theoretical and methodological issues of language under the light of the critical literacies,
allowing participants to create critical-reflective attitudes toward the new proposals and their
own practices in the classroom. Inserted in this research context, our study aims to analyze the
impact of the use of the cinema as a pedagogical tool, in a continuing education course for
foreign language teachers (English and Spanish) from public schools. We assume that
teaching a foreign language through films motivates the learner, assists in the development of
communication skills and stimulates the autonomous learning. In the period of the course (30
hours) we could offer theoretical support to help the teachers to analyze and prepare teaching
activities with filmic content. Besides the theoretical assistance, we offer opportunities for
interaction and exchange of experience among the participants, so all the prepared activities
could be shared and analyzed by the group before being applied in the classroom. The data
obtained through questionnaires, field notes and focal groups were analyzed based on the
Activity Theory, recognizing that we are all a source of knowledge and we can act
collaboratively to expand the construction of meaning. Thus, the protagonists of the research
were responsible for each other's learning. Activity Theory is exemplified in three crucial
moments of learning: 1) The goal we intent to reach is shown (in the case of this study, the
goal was to teach foreign language using the film as a tool), giving a model, encouraging the
teachers not to reproduce, but rather to be creative on this model; 2) We describe the
instrument's acquisition process, with the constant comings and goings, frustrations and
delights that are on the course to achieve the desired goal (time when teachers begin the
process of elaboration of didactic activities); 3) the complexity of the task is described, which
requires the ability to work in groups (moment of exchange of experiences between teachers
about the results of development and implementation of activities). The results of the study
indicate that the cinema is a motivating and efficient tool for teaching foreign languages, and
the exchange of experiences and interaction fostered among teachers were important in
solving problems, contributing effectively to their education, as well as to a significant foreign
language teaching.