O Papel do livro didático no ensino e na aprendizagem de inglês no Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Amapá

Abstract

The textbook has been an important resource of educational practice in the Brazilian educational system, and its use is regulated by the National Textbook Program. However, the inclusion of the English subject in this Program is relatively recent and it is important to investigate the use of textbooks in this context. This situation instigated the possibility of studying the role of the English textbook at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Amapa, with the following objectives: to characterize national educational guidelines and conceptions of education in languages present in these guidelines and in English textbooks ; to analyze the teachers' perceptions about the teaching of the English language, the use of the textbook, the skills it develops and its suitability for the curriculum and for the students; to analyze the students' perceptions about learning the English language, the use of the textbook and the skills it develops; identify potentialities and limitations of the textbook in the construction of communicative and cultural competences and autonomy in learning. In a descriptive approach, the study involved the analysis of national educational policies, the survey by questionnaire to English language teachers and students within the scope of technical courses integrated into the institution's secondary education, and the analysis of textbooks adopted in the institution, incident in the nature of the proposed activities and in the methodological guidelines provided. The results obtained reveal that the analyzed textbooks are globally aligned with the legal norms and current perspectives of language education. However, some discrepancies between the didactic proposals and the objectives of the discipline are identified by the professors, mainly with regard to specific content of technical training. Other problems refer to possible inadequacies of the proposals to the students' profiles, and above all to the scarce use of textbooks in English classes. On the other hand, students seem to reveal a limited awareness of the potential of the textbook in developing their skills. Aspects that point to the potential of textbooks were also found, among which the following can be highlighted: adequacy to the subject's workload, promotion of global and local cultural knowledge, encouragement of the use of language as a social practice and promotion of autonomous management strategies of learning. In summary, it is possible to conclude that the English textbook can play a relevant role in the teaching and learning of the language, when associated with a use adjusted to the prerogatives of the courses and the reality of the students. The study reinforces the importance of research to build knowledge in the field of foreign language education in the Brazilian scenario, and to encourage discussions on educational policies and practices that can strengthen public education in the country.