O ensino de gramática em língua estrangeira: concepções de uma professora e implicações em sua prática

Abstract

This study aims at analysing how the conceptions of a teacher, as for the teaching of grammar in foreign language teaching, are manifested in her classes, as well as looking into the interrelation between such manifestations and her teaching practice. Given the importance of our system of conceptions in our teaching, it is necessary to analyse contributions from both theory and our professional experience, in the shaping of our professional attitudes. The relevance of this research is bound up with attempts at paradigmatic change in language teaching, stemming back to the contribution from modern Applied Linguistics theories in opposition to the traditional teaching practice legacy. Despite consequential theoretical advancements, this study has shown that the theme still raises issues which point to a lack of more explicit discussions, revealing a gap between theory and practice, and vice-versa. In this study, the interpretative, qualitative and ethnographic-based paradigm was adopted. The main research instruments are classroom observation and taping (accompanied by transcription) and a recorded interview. For data triangulation, we adopted the following instruments: field notes, from which an observation diary was written; a questionnaire, to collect factual data; and, finally, a re-viewing session with the participant-teacher, so we could also take her own perspective into account, as well as give her feedback from this study. Data analysis suggests the existence of three overarching conceptions underlining the participant-teacher s practice, namely: grammar as "school subject", "implicit systemic knowledge" and "normative grammar", as well as a certain tension between the participant-teacher s conceptions and her practice. At the same time, the data reveal an increasing autonomy in her decision-making, indicative of some resistance on her part to dogmatism in foreign language teaching theories.