“Eu sei falar, mas às vezes não sei explicar o porquê daquilo acontecer”: e o ensino explícito de gramática no curso de formação de professores de língua inglesa da UFPB?

Abstract

Explicit grammar instruction in the EFL learning process has been discussed not only by those who defend the Communicative Approach (WILKINS, 1994) but also by those who argue that explicit grammar instruction helps learners develop their language proficiency up to satisfactory levels (ELLIS, 1997; CELCE-MURCIA, 1991; NASSAJI, FOTOS, 2004; LARSEN-FREEMAN, 2001). When it comes to teacher education, language proficiency is a prerequisite for teaching (DOURADO, 2007, 2014, 2015) and it is also a requirement posed by the National Curriculum Guidelines for Letras teacher education (BRASIL, 2001, 2015). However, the experience at UFPB undergraduate course of Letras Inglês shows that the main focus of the English classes is on communication. This piece of research aims, then, at bringing into discussion the lack of explicit grammar instruction at UFPB undergraduate course. Written open questionnaires were applied to collect data from fifteen undergraduate students. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of their standpoints regarding grammar teaching in their EFL classes allow us to conclude that UFPB undergraduate course of Letras Inglês needs to undergo a change as regards explicit grammar instruction in order to meet the standards prescribed by the National Curriculum Guidelines for teacher education.