Formação de professoresde Português como língua adicional: Indo além das teorias comunicativas e em direção às pedagogias críticas interculturais

This report presents the results of a postdoctoral research project which culminated in the development of a lato sensu postgraduate course in Portuguese as an Additional Language Teacher Education. The following research questions guided the project: (1) which theoretical and pedagogical perspectives inform programmes for teacher education in Portuguese as an Additional Language (PAL) and other Additional Languages (ALs)?; and (2) which criteria are used to justify such perspectives? Twelve professors from six higher education institutions who serve as instructors for disciplines related to mandatory internship in ALs responded to an online survey. Analysis of their responses demonstrated that (1) communicative approaches inform additional language teacher education; and (2) washback effect is a strong factor which contributes for the adoption of such approaches. Communicative approaches, for informing several proficiency exams, have been used as the main or sole theoretical and/or pedagogical construct on which teacher education in ALs is based. Recently applied to ALs teaching and learning, critical and intercultural pedagogies question communicative approaches and update notions of language, language use, competence, and culture. In so doing, emancipatory education problematises sociocultural hegemonies and stereotypes while encouraging social agency, empowerment, and intercultural, cosmopolitan and democratic citizenship. Thus, we developed a PAL teacher education course which promotes diverse cultural representations, interpretations, expectations, memories and identifications of those participating in the teaching-learning processes throughout pedagogical experiences. Meanwhile, the target language is used to (re)produce, (re)negotiate, and (re)build sociocultural identities.