University of Macau / Faculty of Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of self-initiated professional development of English language teachers at English Language School of BaSkent University. Within this framework, teachers&amp / #8217 / attitudes towards their professional development, their perceptions of major professional development activities, and the factors that hinder change and growth in teachers were investigated. The data collection instrument used was a questionnaire administered to 110 English language teachers at BaSkent University. The questionnaire consisted of both open-ended and close-ended items and the data collected were analyzed descriptively to understand the general trends and differences among teachers. The data analysis revealed that the teachers agreed with most of the concepts that reflect the importance of professional development. In addition, they were aware of the importance of major professional development activities for their growth. However, peer observation and action research, which are developmental activities, were not favoured as much as the other activities. In addition, it was found that the teachers did not make use of the activities as much as they gave importance to. Furthermore, teachers showed significant differences in importance given to and making use of the activities by the background variables. Female teachers, young teachers and the teachers who do not have much experience seemed to give more importance to and actualize some of the professional development activities more than the other teachers. Meanwhile, it was also noted that the listed factors that hinder growth were all found important by the teachers. The most important impediments to growth were indicated as excessive workload, lack of self-motivation and lack of institutional support for professional development.

This study investigates the impact of CALL training on in-service language teachers&rsquo / use of CALL-based activities in their classrooms and what factors influence their use of these activities in their classroom. The participants included 35 pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who took an undergraduate-level elective CALL course (FLE318) offered during the 2008-2009 academic year in the Department of Foreign Language Education at Middle East Technical University and 25 of these participants who started teaching English during the Fall semester in the academic year 2009-2010 at several private and state institutions. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied. The journals kept by the participants during and after the training, the lesson plans of micro and macro teaching, the questionnaires given to the participants to determine their perceived computer knowledge, the interview sessions held with the participants&rsquo / on their practices showed that the training provided to the participants helped them infuse a variety of CALL-based materials and tools into their classroom practices. The analyses also indicated that the most paramount factors or issues that affect the infusion of CALL-based materials in language teaching and learning are the school environment, curriculum, and the national exams.

Within the paradigm of Sociocultural Theory, and using Activity Theory as a data-gathering and management tool, this microgenetic case study examined the processes - the growth, change, and development - engaged in by student-teachers in a foreign language education program as they worked together to complete an activity. The activity involved digital video recording and editing, mediators which were intended to facilitate the iterative review of and subsequent reflection and action upon the content of the video during its creation. By investigating the process of contextual interaction between learners and the mediational elements of their environment as the activity progressed, this study intended to further understanding of preservice teacher development in at least two important ways. The aims of this study were to discover a) tangible evidence of cognitive transformation (development in the form of regulation), as well as b) aspects of professionalization into a community of skilled second language teachers (as evidenced by activity). The present study took place in a graduate-level foreign language/TESOL education practicum course. The activity involved the making of a digital video to explain and exemplify a given second language instructional approach, as well as the rationale behind and methods of targeting a specific language skill. Using theoretical constructs previously shown to be effective in the pedagogy of teacher preparation, the creators of this task endeavored to design a socially- and artifact-mediated activity with the potential to broaden and deepen student-teachers' pedagogical and professional knowledge. The student-teachers failed to engage in meaningful dialogical or critical reflection as they engaged in the task, and made no perceptible regulative movement. What ultimately was revealed in the case of the study participants was a disconnect between the intentions of the core-task designers and the outcomes effected by the student-teachers. The data gleaned from this close examination of student-teacher processes was revelatory in terms of the quantity and types of factors that appeared to significantly impact the outcomes of the project. These factors have the potential to inform the process of translating socio-cultural theory into pedagogical practice, and should be of interest to anyone involved in the development of student-teachers, including those who design or deliver preservice teacher curricula. Discussed are the possible explanations for the disconnect between the designers and administrators of the activity and the participants in the study. Also considered are the potentially serious implications for second language teacher education programs and their curricula in terms of the application of sociocultural constructs to learning tasks and environments. Recommendations include increased scaffolding by the course professor through direct guidance, as well as by structuring tasks to facilitate students' ability to collaborate and to perceive and resolve the conflicts, contradictions, and tensions that arise during the course of the activity. On a broader level, serious examinations of teacher education programs and curricula are also recommended to look for ways to better understand, align, and achieve the goals of teacher developers and those of their student-teachers.

This study deals with the design and application of Scripture-founded pastoral guidelines as aid or supplement to existing work stress interventions for the effective management of teacher stress as it especially manifests in Second Language Teaching situations. Important questions addressed regarding this topic amongst others include the following: • Which perspectives can be deduced from Scripture with regard to work ethic, work stress and work stress management? • What does work stress in teaching mean and what support systems are available for teachers in practice, especially as the problem occurs in the profile of a Second Language Teacher? • How effectively do the support processes for Second Language Teachers with work stress in secondary schools run? • Which pastoral guidelines can be offered for the management of teacher stress as it features in the profile of Second Language Teachers? The research of the study is structured according to the model of Zerfass, as designed for Practical Theology. The basis theoretical research clearly indicates that applicable pastoral guidelines can be deduced from Scripture as the foundational source regarding the effective management of work stress. These pastoral guidelines are identified and described by focussing on the appearance of work stress in key figures in Scripture such as Joseph, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, as well as God's intervention and support in their different situations. God executed His plans through the different Bible characters in spite of their weaknesses and shortcomings, and this offers hope to current-day believers. The principles illustrated in the lives of the Bible characters can be applied to the lives of modern people. The following principles for work stress management are investigated through the mentioned Bible figures: Identity in God; Disciplining of thought; Delegation of work; Time management and setting priorities; Prayer and Divine support. It is clear from the meta-theoretical research that English Second Language Teachers, especially in the South African context, should receive much more support since their work stress factors are more and are very unique to their subject. There is a significant gap with regard to support bases or pastoral services for teachers in schools, in spite of there being several researchers that are of the opinion that work stress has a negative influence on teachers' mental health. It is precisely when external factors can not be controlled that the teacher should have the necessary skills for his own survival. Pastoral guidance focuses on the empowerment of the individual in an unfriendly work and living environment. The empirical study comprised interviews with three Second Language Teachers who experienced problems with teacher stress. In addition, interviews were held with three different headmasters at secondary schools to establish which support systems are available for teachers. The participants indicated that their relationship with God, the Word and prayer carry them through periods of stress. The empirical study showed that Second Language Teachers feel the need for pastoral guidance with regard to stress. The headmasters support the implementation of pastoral help in schools, since there is a void with regard to support systems or counselling in support of teachers who suffer from work stress. The central theoretical argument of this study makes it clear that counselling guidelines for a therapeutic process can play an indispensable intervention role in the guidance of teachers under work stress. During the process of establishing these pastoral guidelines, the basis theoretical perspectives were extracted through Scripture study of known Biblical figures under similar work pressure. The meta-theory was constructed from research information from recent studies of this subject field, and empirical case studies that served as situation analysis from the teaching context. Lastly, the information was integrated to formulate practice theoretical guidelines. The following guidelines for a pastoral guidance process are presented in chapter 5, as deducted from the Word of God: ♦ Physical health: The human body was created by God and should enjoy the same care as the soul and spirit. The counselee can be guided along the Word of God to a realisation of the importance of his body and its physical care. ♦ Spiritual health: Man draws his spiritual health from regular prayer and meditation regarding Scripture; and therefore prayer and Word Study are powerful instruments in the management of work stress. ♦ An identity founded in the Triune God does not sway under manipulation or unrealistic standards, because such a person understands who he is, Who he belongs to and what his purpose is, and therefore he can manage his stress. ♦ Thoughts that are disciplined according to the will of God and His Word enable a person to stay and act in a manner focused on God, even in stressful circumstances. ♦ Those who manage their time and determine priorities in accordance with God's will, are enabled to live a balanced life and to limit work stress. ♦ Those who delegate tasks, relieve their work and time pressure and also lessen their work stress. ♦ A personal relationship with God and the support, guidance and help of the indwelling Holy Spirit is indispensable for the effective management of work stress. ♦ The establishment of an effective support group relieves stress, because emotional burdens are shared. The purpose of the pastoral guidance process is to focus the counselee's faith dependence on the guidance of the Triune God. Scripture, as the Word of God, belonging to a community of believers, together with the spiritual activities that this entails, have a positive effect on counselees. The Scripture should be a non-negotiable component of pastoral guidance processes. This study has confirmed that the points of departure that the researcher initially held are valid points of departure for the support of the argument in favour of pastoral guidance to Second Language Teachers with work stress. / Thesis (M.A. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This study deals with the design and application of Scripture-founded pastoral guidelines as aid or supplement to existing work stress interventions for the effective management of teacher stress as it especially manifests in Second Language Teaching situations. Important questions addressed regarding this topic amongst others include the following: • Which perspectives can be deduced from Scripture with regard to work ethic, work stress and work stress management? • What does work stress in teaching mean and what support systems are available for teachers in practice, especially as the problem occurs in the profile of a Second Language Teacher? • How effectively do the support processes for Second Language Teachers with work stress in secondary schools run? • Which pastoral guidelines can be offered for the management of teacher stress as it features in the profile of Second Language Teachers? The research of the study is structured according to the model of Zerfass, as designed for Practical Theology. The basis theoretical research clearly indicates that applicable pastoral guidelines can be deduced from Scripture as the foundational source regarding the effective management of work stress. These pastoral guidelines are identified and described by focussing on the appearance of work stress in key figures in Scripture such as Joseph, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, as well as God's intervention and support in their different situations. God executed His plans through the different Bible characters in spite of their weaknesses and shortcomings, and this offers hope to current-day believers. The principles illustrated in the lives of the Bible characters can be applied to the lives of modern people. The following principles for work stress management are investigated through the mentioned Bible figures: Identity in God; Disciplining of thought; Delegation of work; Time management and setting priorities; Prayer and Divine support. It is clear from the meta-theoretical research that English Second Language Teachers, especially in the South African context, should receive much more support since their work stress factors are more and are very unique to their subject. There is a significant gap with regard to support bases or pastoral services for teachers in schools, in spite of there being several researchers that are of the opinion that work stress has a negative influence on teachers' mental health. It is precisely when external factors can not be controlled that the teacher should have the necessary skills for his own survival. Pastoral guidance focuses on the empowerment of the individual in an unfriendly work and living environment. The empirical study comprised interviews with three Second Language Teachers who experienced problems with teacher stress. In addition, interviews were held with three different headmasters at secondary schools to establish which support systems are available for teachers. The participants indicated that their relationship with God, the Word and prayer carry them through periods of stress. The empirical study showed that Second Language Teachers feel the need for pastoral guidance with regard to stress. The headmasters support the implementation of pastoral help in schools, since there is a void with regard to support systems or counselling in support of teachers who suffer from work stress. The central theoretical argument of this study makes it clear that counselling guidelines for a therapeutic process can play an indispensable intervention role in the guidance of teachers under work stress. During the process of establishing these pastoral guidelines, the basis theoretical perspectives were extracted through Scripture study of known Biblical figures under similar work pressure. The meta-theory was constructed from research information from recent studies of this subject field, and empirical case studies that served as situation analysis from the teaching context. Lastly, the information was integrated to formulate practice theoretical guidelines. The following guidelines for a pastoral guidance process are presented in chapter 5, as deducted from the Word of God: ♦ Physical health: The human body was created by God and should enjoy the same care as the soul and spirit. The counselee can be guided along the Word of God to a realisation of the importance of his body and its physical care. ♦ Spiritual health: Man draws his spiritual health from regular prayer and meditation regarding Scripture; and therefore prayer and Word Study are powerful instruments in the management of work stress. ♦ An identity founded in the Triune God does not sway under manipulation or unrealistic standards, because such a person understands who he is, Who he belongs to and what his purpose is, and therefore he can manage his stress. ♦ Thoughts that are disciplined according to the will of God and His Word enable a person to stay and act in a manner focused on God, even in stressful circumstances. ♦ Those who manage their time and determine priorities in accordance with God's will, are enabled to live a balanced life and to limit work stress. ♦ Those who delegate tasks, relieve their work and time pressure and also lessen their work stress. ♦ A personal relationship with God and the support, guidance and help of the indwelling Holy Spirit is indispensable for the effective management of work stress. ♦ The establishment of an effective support group relieves stress, because emotional burdens are shared. The purpose of the pastoral guidance process is to focus the counselee's faith dependence on the guidance of the Triune God. Scripture, as the Word of God, belonging to a community of believers, together with the spiritual activities that this entails, have a positive effect on counselees. The Scripture should be a non-negotiable component of pastoral guidance processes. This study has confirmed that the points of departure that the researcher initially held are valid points of departure for the support of the argument in favour of pastoral guidance to Second Language Teachers with work stress. / Thesis (M.A. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, School of Education, 1994. / Includes bibliography. / Introduction ; The research question and the professional context of the inquiry -- Literature review: substantive survey -- Literature review: methodological survey -- Research method -- The prgamatics of feedback -- An ethnographic portrait of supervision -- Perceptions of mitigation -- Conclusion. / This research project investigates the language of supervisory conferences. A grounded theory approach is taken to the analysis of data drawn from teacher educators in TESOL (Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages) in their feedback discussions with teachers following observed lessons.--Supervisory talk is investigated within a linguistic framework of politeness theory: while the supervisory role includes the obligation of criticism, the act of criticism is constrained by the face-to-face encounter of the supervisory conference. A central construct is the notion of fragility: the supervisory conference-an event which is equated with the talk that achieves it - is considered to be inherently fragile. The aim of the project is to investigate the language so as to uncover the source of the fragility.--Findings suggest that the perceived tension derives from a tug-of-war of essential elements: while the supervisory position affords discoursal power (the right to raise and pursue topics, take long turns, drive the discourse etc), the fa-threatening nature of the event obliges supervisors to resort to social/strategic skills to protect the teacher's face, as well as their own. The textualisation of this restraint takes the form of linguistic mitigation - devices rooted in syntax and semantics that allow supervisors to undercut the force of their own assertions. Mitigation is posited as the means by which supervisors resolve the clash-of-goals that is central to their role. However, mitigation is risky because it may interfere with message clarity.-- The product of the grounded study is a typology of utterance-level mitigation. The typology has three macro-categories (syntactic, semantic and indirectness) and fourteen sub-categories.-- The study was triangulated through an ethnographic investigation of supervisory concerns about feedback; and through an experiment designed to gauge teachers' perceptions of variously mitigated supervisory language. Findings from both studies corroborate the central tenet by contributing images of supervision that support the clash-of-goals thesis.--The projected applied outcome is in supervisor training where, it is suggested, strategic training delivered in a framework of politeness theory would reduce the unwitting dependence on mitigation and hence the risk of message distortion.--Suggestions for further research conclude the study. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / 413 leaves

GURGEL, Manoelito Costa. Representações sociais de professores de língua materna em formação inicial sobre o estágio de regência. 2013. 206f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Letras Vernáculas, Programa de Pós-graduação em Linguística, Fortaleza (CE), 2013. / Submitted by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-06-04T16:27:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_mcgurgel.pdf: 1315124 bytes, checksum: 5e455abb8739430dcb6cb7aa8467a977 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo(marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-06-04T18:47:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_mcgurgel.pdf: 1315124 bytes, checksum: 5e455abb8739430dcb6cb7aa8467a977 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-04T18:47:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_mcgurgel.pdf: 1315124 bytes, checksum: 5e455abb8739430dcb6cb7aa8467a977 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Increasingly, teachers have played a prominent role in the redefinition of teaching practices and language learning (L1). Within this context, continuing education programs and certification courses for first language teachers are being rethought. In this research, it is intended to identify and recognize the collective social representations (SR) achievements of eight student teachers in regards of Portuguese Teaching Practicum at UFC Language and Arts major. Through a discursive and ideological view of RS, we sought to delineate from the positions taken by the student teachers of the object of representation " student teaching practicum” unfolds in their discourse during the interaction with their peers in focus groups of the meanings and values that they attach to student teaching practicum, before and during the discipline. For this, we rely on the theoretical and methodological frameworks of social representations theory(MOSCOVICI, 1961, 1978, 2009 ; JODELET, 1984, 2001, 2005; DOISE, 2001 )and socio-discursive interactionism ( BRONCKART , 2006, 2008, 2009). We also support the concepts of group and social ideology proposed by van Dijk (1999, 2003, 2009). As data collection procedures we adopted a questionnaire and two focus groups ( FG ), language -action situations by which the student-teachers engaged and mobilized their RS during the practicum experience. As for the analysis, we have adopted the modalizations, from which the actions taken by the group were identified and in face of the activities required for the course. Using a qualitative -interpretive lens, we found that the student teachers represent the practicum experience as: a) the learning of the profession and as the application of theory and of teaching techniques via practice, b ) as feedback[assessment]of their practice and, c ) as the final requirement for the undergraduate course completion or as a last step towards certification. Thus, the student teachers, during the course did not reformulate the RS. Marked by these RS, the student teachers participate in the activities of the course only to fulfill bureaucratic aspects without significantly reflecting on, for example, theirteaching actions. / Cada vez mais, os professores vêm exercendo um papel de destaque na ressignificação das práticas de ensino-aprendizagem de língua materna. Nesse contexto, os cursos de formação continuada e inicial de professores de língua materna vêm sendo repensados. Nesta pesquisa, então, identificamos e reconhecemos o acervo de representações sociais (doravante RS) de oito estagiárias da disciplina de Estágio em Ensino de Língua Portuguesa do curso de Letras-Português da UFC sobre o estágio de regência, engendradas, mobilizadas e ressignificadas na e pela disciplina. Considerando a premissa de que o estágio é o espaço privilegiado de ressignificação de representações docentes, analisamos se há, de fato, ressignificações nesse espaço. Essa proposta é crucial para (re)pensarmos o estágio de regência como etapa do percurso formativo do professor de língua materna. Em uma abordagem discursiva e ideológica das RS, na qual destacamos a função da linguagem no engendramento e na circulação de representações,delineamos, a partir das tomadas de posição das estagiárias frente ao objeto de representação “estágio de regência”, (re)veladas pelas modalizações no seu discurso durante a interação com os seus pares em grupos focais, os sentidos e os valores que elas, as estagiárias, atribuem ao estágio de regência, antes e durante a disciplina. Para isso, apoiamo-nos nos quadros teórico-metodológicos da Teoria das Representações Sociais (MOSCOVICI, 1961, 1978, 2009 ; JODELET, 1984, 2001, 2005; DOISE, 2001 ), do Interacionismo Sócio-discursivo (BRONCKART, 2006, 2008, 2009) e nos conceitos de grupo social e de ideologia (VAN DIJK, 1999, 2003, 2009). Como procedimentos de coleta de dados, adotamos um questionário e dois Grupos Focais (doravante GFs), situações de ação de linguagem em que as estagiárias se engajaram e mobilizaram suas RS sobre o estágio de regência. Como categoria de análise, adotamos as modalizações (BRONCKART, 2009), pois materializam linguisticamente avaliações e julgamentos. A partir da análise das modalizações, identificamos as tomadas de posição do grupo frente às atividades e às práticas da disciplina. Em nossa análise qualitativa-interpretativista, percebemos que as estagiárias representam o estágio de regência, tanto antes quanto durante a disciplina, a) como aprendizagem da profissão e como aplicação da teoria e de técnicas de ensino, b) como feedback/avaliação da prática e c) como atividade final para conclusão do curso e como última etapa para certificação. Sendo assim, as estagiárias, durante a disciplina, não ressignificaram suas RS e, marcadas por essas RS, participaram das atividades da disciplina apenas para cumprirem aspectos burocráticos, sem refletirem significativamente sobre, por exemplo, o seu agir. Nesse sentido, o estágio de regência pouco contribuiu para a ressignificação das RS das estagiárias sobre as atividades e sobre as práticas do estágio de regência, dado o caráter transitório da disciplina. Nossa pesquisa, então, lega à reflexão dos responsáveis pela formação de novos professores resultados que devem inquietá-los: se professores em formação inicial representam o espaço do estágio de regência não como o espaço propiciador de ressignificações do fazer/ser docente, mas como o espaço de cumprimento de obrigações burocráticas para efeito de obtenção de Diploma de Licenciatura, que docente estamos formando?

O presente trabalho articula a formação de professores de Língua Portuguesa, a prática de reflexão linguística em sala de aula e o constructo teórico da Linguística Cognitiva (LC). Para tanto, esta tese constitui-se de duas partes relacionadas, mas independentes. Na primeira, desenvolve-se uma pesquisa qualitativa com grupo focal, da qual participaram quatro alunas de um curso de Letras, as quais estavam – no momento da pesquisa – cursando a disciplina de Estágio de Docência de Português 1. O objetivo da primeira parte é investigar como os professores em formação inicial participantes da pesquisa entendem e propõem o trabalho com as formas linguísticas em seus projetos de estágio. Para isso, a pesquisadora realizou observação participante ao longo das aulas presenciais da disciplina de Estágio de Docência de Português 1, além de propor encontros de avaliação conjunta do pré-projeto e do projeto final das participantes. Os encontros foram gravados em áudio e, posteriormente, transcritos. Ao final da primeira parte, analisam-se o conteúdo temático das interações e os documentos relacionados ao estágio das participantes. Esta primeira parte se torna relevante para a construção de entendimentos que guiam a segunda parte da tese. Entre esses entendimentos, encontram-se (i) a necessidade da construção de mais relações entre as disciplinas teóricas de Linguística e a futura prática docente dos professores em formação, (ii) a importância da realização de intervenções (individualizadas e coletivas) para que os professores em formação estabeleçam articulações entre o que estudaram ao longo do curso e a sua prática docente e para que se vejam e ajam como profissionais reflexivos e (iii) a configuração do estágio como um espaço de reflexão sobre a própria ação. Na segunda parte, investiga-se em que sentido a prática de reflexão linguística pode se beneficiar dos pressupostos da LC, buscando atender aos entendimentos oriundos da primeira parte desta tese. É feita, então, uma revisão de conceitos da LC – noções de língua, construals, embodiment, categorização, conhecimento enciclopédico e construções – e, em seguida, são discutidas as suas implicações para a realização da prática de reflexão linguística. A fim de ilustrar as relações propostas, são apresentadas situações de aulas de língua portuguesa, as quais foram vivenciadas pela pesquisadora. Ainda na segunda parte desta tese, analisa-se o trabalho sobre “metáfora” proposto por duas participantes da primeira parte deste estudo, a fim de apresentar uma situação em que a LC pode informar a definição de uma forma linguística. Ao final da segunda parte desta tese, apresenta-se um continuum entre “ações já debatidas em estudos sobre a prática de reflexão linguística no ensino de línguas” e as “novas ações para a prática de reflexão linguística no ensino de línguas inspiradas por entendimentos da LC”. Concluiu-se que o estabelecimento de relações entre os pressupostos da LC e a prática de reflexão linguística é produtivo, uma vez que desloca o foco da “forma” para a “significação” e aponta caminhos alternativos para a abordagem de determinados usos da língua. / The present work articulates Portuguese teachers training, the practice of linguistic reflection in language classes, and the theoretical framework of Cognitive Linguistics (CL). In order to achieve such goal, this thesis consists in two independent, but related, parts. In the first one, a qualitative research with focal group is developed. Four students of a Language graduation course, who were attending the Curricular Teacher Training discipline, took part on the study. The goal in this first part is to investigate how the training-teachers who participated in this study understand and propose the work with linguistic forms in their teaching projects. To do so, the researcher has done a participant observation during the Curricular Teacher Training discipline classes and has had meetings with the participants in order to analyse their initial and final teaching projects. The meetings were audio-recorded and, later, transcripted. At the end of the first part, the thematic content of the interactions and documents related to the participants’ teacher training practice are analysed. This first part is relevant because it produces insights which guide the second part of this dissertation. Among these insights, it is important to mention (i) the necessity of constructing more relations between the Linguistics disciplines and the teaching abilities, (ii) the importance of doing different (collective and individual) interventions in order to help teachers in initial training to articulate what they have studied during their undergraduation course and their professional practice; so they are going to be able to see themselves and to act as reflexive professionals; and (iii) the constitution of the Curricular Teacher Training discipline as a space of reflection about the action itself. The second part of this work aims at investigating how the practice of linguistic reflection could benefit from the CL assumptions. In order to do so, some CL concepts are reviewed – the notions of language, construal, embodiment, categorization, encyclopaedic knowledge, and constructions – and, then, their implications to the practice of linguistic reflection are discussed. After this, some Portuguese classes’ situations are presented to illustrate the proposed relations. Also in the second part, the work about “metaphor” developed by two participants of the first part of this thesis is analysed, in order to present one situation in which CL can inform one linguistic form definition. To finish the second part, a continuum between “actions that have already been discussed by other studies about the practice of linguistic reflection” and “new actions to the practice of linguistic reflection inspired by the CL assumptions” is presented. It was concluded that the establishment of relations between the CL assumptions and the practice of linguistic reflection is worthwhile, because it changes the focus from “form” to “meaning” and points out new ways to deal with some language usages.

This work aimed at investigating the relations between teaching practice and Language-communicative competence of Spanish Foreign Language teachers from the public school, through the inference of their beliefs. Therefore, we identified the beliefs about linguistic and communicative competence of teachers and, as a result, these beliefs were related to their performance reported by the participants themselves in the classroom. The participants of this study were two Spanish teachers, working in public schools in Santa Maria city, who performed the initial training in Letters-Spanish graduation at the Federal University of Santa Maria. The methodology used was a qualitative study of case, based on metacognitive approach beliefs research (BARCELOS, 2001). We applied a questionnaire to answer the main purpose. Secondly, a semi-structured interview was made. The results showed that these teachers believe Linguistic competence communicative is characterized by complementarity of linguistic and communicative component. This division into two components still carries a structuralist notion that considers the linguistic part precedes and prevails on the communications components and also that this is a belief that may have been caused by the influence of the nomenclature linguistic and communicative competence, by Almeida Filho (1993), adopted in this study. In relation to teaching practice reported by the teachers, it was found that the beliefs presented by the participants directly influence on performance. Thus, we concluded that the insufficient linguistic and communicative competence of the teacher leads to severe limitations in educational performance in relation to the oral performance. / Este trabalho teve por objetivo investigar relações entre prática docente e competência linguístico-comunicativa de professores de Espanhol Língua Estrangeira da escola pública, por meio da inferência de suas crenças. Para tanto, identificaram-se as crenças sobre a própria competência linguístico-comunicativa dos professores e, na sequência, essas crenças foram relacionadas com a atuação relatada pelos próprios participantes em sala de aula. Os sujeitos deste trabalho foram duas professoras de língua espanhola, atuantes em escolas públicas da cidade de Santa Maria, que realizaram a formação inicial no Curso de Letras-Espanhol da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. A metodologia utilizada foi um estudo qualitativo de caso, baseada na abordagem metacognitiva de investigação de crenças (BARCELOS, 2001). Para responder ao objetivo principal, aplicou-se um questionário. Num segundo momento, realizou-se uma entrevista semi-estruturada. Os resultados mostraram que os professores acreditam que a competência linguístico-comunicativa caracteriza-se pela complementaridade do componente linguístico e do comunicativo. Essa divisão em dois componentes ainda carrega uma noção estruturalista que considera que a parte linguística antecede e tem primazia sobre os componentes comunicativos e, ainda, que essa é uma crença que pode ter sido originada pela influência da nomenclatura competência linguístico-comunicativa, de Almeida Filho (1993), adotada neste trabalho. Com relação à prática docente relatada pelas professoras, verificou-se que as crenças apresentadas pelas participantes influenciam diretamente na sua atuação. Nesse sentido, concluiu-se que a insuficiência na competência linguístico-comunicativa do professor leva a severas limitações na atuação docente no que se refere ao desempenho oral.