O uso das tecnologias digitais no ensino de língua inglesa: integrando o uso do aplicativo Duolingo ao currículo da rede municipal de João Pessoa

Abstract

The growing use of digital technologies in education, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, is evident. In the English classroom, these tools have been fundamental to engaging students in the teaching-learning process. Despite the potential benefits, the use of digital technologies in Brazil is often limited to messaging apps and social media. The pandemic has revealed the need for technical understanding of remote teaching tools, but also pedagogical understanding. This research aims to analyze the perception of English language teachers in the João Pessoa municipal school system regarding the use of the Duolingo app in the classroom, based on references such as Moran (2014), Gabriel (2023), Dudeney, Hockly, and Pegrum (2016), Sailer et al. (2017), Maciel et al (2010, 2013), and Pacheco (2005), among others. An applied methodology and qualitative approach were adopted, through a survey of 15 teachers in the final years of elementary school. The results show that, although all teachers recognize Duolingo’s pedagogical usefulness, highlighting benefits such as student motivation, integrated work across the four language skills, and personalized learning, only 40% effectively use it in their teaching. Gaps were identified in the use of educational features, such as Duolingo for Schools, and in its intentional integration with the curriculum. Structural barriers, such as lack of stable internet access, inoperable devices, and restrictive interpretations of Law No. 15.100/2025 on cell phone use in the classroom, compound training challenges, such as a lack of knowledge of pedagogical mediation strategies. The conclusion is that integrating the app into the school curriculum is feasible and contributes to methodological diversification, but requires teacher training in critical mediation, systemic planning, and coordination between the tool's features and curricular skills. As a product, this research offers a pedagogical manual that guides this articulation, providing ways to rethink teaching practices in the municipal network.