Indigenous languages in the English class: possibilities for a critical linguistic education

Abstract

This work presents the experience of a workshop on Brazilian indigenous languages, held in the context of an English course offered at a public university. These data are part of research on affect and English teaching. Therefore, one sought to identify and analyze the affective impacts that this experience produced on students, based on their textual productions about the workshop. It is understood that the relationships established between subjects and objects of knowledge depend, fundamentally, on the concrete mediation practices developed by mediating agents, which have both affective and cognitive implications (LEITE, 2018). A discursive view of language is assumed (BAKHTIN, 1929) and it is argued that the teaching and learning of the English language has a formative character and must consider the dialectical nature of the constitution of the subject, language and culture, (ROCHA, 2012). The data indicate the English class as a rich possibility for the discussion of topics on culture, identity and discourse. With the experience described in this work - the discussion about Brazilian indigenous languages, about the history of indigenous peoples and their struggle to preserve their languages ​​- the students had the opportunity to reflect on their own language and culture and on their English learning process. The data analysis shows that the implications of this experience are not only of a cognitive, but also affective, which can influence the relationships that are established between students and the English language, in addition to enabling critical learning. It is argued that language teaching should deal with themes such as the one described in this work in order to achieve anti-racist linguistic education, which, in turn, contributes to establishing positive affective relationships with the foreign language.