Esta pesquisa, realizada no período 2012-2016, investigou as possíveis razões para o crescente desinteresse pela profissão docente, especificamente no que se refere ao ensino de língua inglesa (LI) na educação básica brasileira, sobretudo aquela pública; e o fez a partir do posicionamento de licenciandos em LI de uma universidade pública acerca do que para eles significava ser professor. O estudo se valeu de contribuições de teorias pósmodernas, baseando-se, principalmente, em conceitos pós-estruturalistas e decoloniais relacionados às concepções de língua, discurso, epistemologia e identidade, no intuito de melhor compreender as influências modernas sobre a construção histórica da docência e da identidade docente. Identificar os princípios que fundamentam o ensino de LI e a formação docente nessa área; investigar os discursos que perpassam a construção da identidade docente e em que se fundamentam; e compreender em que medida tais princípios e discursos impactam o (des)interesse pela profissão eram alguns dos principais objetivos propostos. Permeados pela análise dos dados gerados, os capítulos que compõem esta pesquisa se organizam da seguinte forma: a introdução localiza este estudo no cenário educacional brasileiro, apresenta seus objetivos gerais e específicos, o seu contexto de realização, as perguntas de pesquisa, a metodologia utilizada e o perfil dos participantes e da pesquisadora; o Capítulo 01 apresenta um panorama histórico da educação brasileira desde a implantação do sistema educacional jesuíta, em 1549, até a promulgação da LDB de 1996, procurando focar no ensino e na formação de professores de LI; o Capítulo 02 trata do papel do discurso na construção da realidade e na invenção da tradição, da ideia de desenvolvimento e civilização que permearam a colonização de terras e povos e resultaram na invenção da História ocidental; o Capítulo 03 dedica-se à invenção das línguas inclusive a LI e o inglês como língua internacional (ILI) e à construção histórica da identidade com base nas ideias de fixidez, permanência e normalidade, negando seu caráter fluido e nômade; as considerações finais apresentam acontecimentos políticos atuais e discorrem sobre as implicações do caráter circular da História sobre a construção da identidade docente e do estatuto negativo da profissão, além de reafirmar a necessidade de uma formação docente pautada no letramento crítico, como forma de promover mudança. / This research developed between the year 2012 and the year 2016 investigated the increasing lack of interest in the teaching profession, including English language teaching (ELT), in Brazilian (public) basic education. This study was developed mainly on the basis of post-modern theories, related mainly to post-structuralist and decolonial concepts concerning language, discourse, epistemology and identity, used in order to better understand the influences of Modernity on the historical construction of the teacher identity and the teaching profession status. Some of the main objectives of this research were to identify the principles that ground ELT and EL teacher education in Brazil; examine the discourses that influence the construction of teacher identity and the basis of such discourses; and understanding to what extent such principles and discourses affect the (dis)interest in the teaching profession. The introduction situates this study in the Brazilian educational setting, and it presents the general and specific objectives that guided the development of this research, as well as the research questions, methodology and participants. Chapter 01 presents a historical overview of Brazilian education, starting from the Jesuit educational system implemented in 1549 and ending after the promulgation of the Brazilian National Law on Education (LDB) in 1996. Chapter 02 focuses on the role of discourse in the construction of reality, in the invention of tradition, and in the creation of the ideas of development and progress, which explained the need for civilization. This justified the colonization of lands and peoples and served as the basis for the invention of Western History. Chapter 03 refers to the invention of languages including English language, and English as an international language (EIL) and to the historical construction of identity based on the ideas of fixity and normality, denying its fluid and nomadic nature. The concluding chapter elicits current political events, addresses the implications of the circular nature of History on the construction of teacher identity and the negative status of the teaching profession, and also reiterates the need for a critical literacy-guided English language teacher education as a way of promoting changes.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:24:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ivanete de Almeida Santos.pdf: 723465 bytes, checksum: e9a4584bbeedbf58fb0a4ded07b2fefa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-14 / Secretaria da Educação do Estado de São Paulo / Placed within the Applied Linguistic field, this thesis aims at investigating my action as a teacher in a new reading social practice, called Group Think Aloud (Zanotto, 1998). The research was developed as part of the GEIM Research Group (Indeterminacy and Metaphor Study Group), which is coordinated by Dr. Mara Sophia Zanotto (PUC-SP Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo) and Dr. Heronides M. Moura (UFSC Federal University of Santa Catarina). The theoretical framework that supports this investigation encompasses studies on the teaching-learning theories based on Freire (2005) and Vigotski (1934); theories about critical literacy and critical reading as supported by Freire (1996,2005) Kleiman (2007), Soares (2006) and Solé (1998); and multiple readings as discussed by Zanotto(2008) and Kempe (2001). The study follows qualitative interpretive methodology (Bortoni-Ricardo, 2008), and uses the critical action-research (Kincheloe, 1997 and Barbier, 2004) of ethnographic basis. The instrument used to generate data was the practice of Group Think Aloud (Zanotto, 1998) used in this research both as data-generating instrument and as pedagogic tool. The research was developed with a focal group (Gatti, 2005) composed of 10 students from the 2nd and 3rd grades of High School studying in a state school in Sao Paulo. Data analysis showed the following results: 1) students became more critical about their reading after the practice of Group Think Aloud which allowed for the interaction and negotiation of several readings; 2) the teacher-researcher transformed her teaching practice, taking on a role of mediator and literacy agent that understands that continuous education is the best way to keep up with the new educational paradigms / Este trabalho se insere na área da Lingüística Aplicada e tem por objetivo investigar a minha ação docente numa nova prática social de leitura, o Pensar Alto em grupo (Zanotto, 1998). A pesquisa está vinculada ao Grupo de Pesquisa GEIM (Grupo de Estudos da Indeterminação e da Metáfora), coordenado pela Profª. Drª. Mara Sophia Zanotto (PUC-SP) e Heronides M. Moura (UFSC). O referencial teórico que sustenta este trabalho engloba estudos voltados para teorias de ensino-aprendizagem pautados em Freire (2005) e Vigotski (1934); teorias de letramento crítico e leitura com Freire (1996,2005) Kleiman (2007), Soares (2006) e Solé (1998); leitura Múltiplas leituras com Zanotto (2008) e Kempe (2001). A metodologia adotada será a qualitativa, de natureza interpetativista (Bortoni-Ricardo, 2008), por meio da pesquisa-ação crítica (Kincheloe, 1997 e Barbier, 2004) de cunho etnográfico. O instrumento utilizado para a geração de dados foi a prática do Pensar Alto em Grupo, Zanotto (1998) utilizado nesta pesquisa enquanto metodologia e instrumento pedagógico. A pesquisa foi realizada com um Grupo Focal (Gatti, 2005) formado por 10 alunos do 2º e 3º ano do Ensino Médio de uma escola pública estadual. A análise dos dados evidenciou os seguintes resultados: 1) os alunos passaram a desenvolver a competência leitora crítica, favorecidos pela prática do Pensar Alto em Grupo que oportunizou interação e negociação de múltiplas leituras; 2) eu, professora pesquisadora, transformei a minha prática docente, assumindo um papel de mediadora e agente de letramento que entende na formação contínua a melhor maneira de acompanhar o surgimento de novos paradigmas educacionais

Este trabalho é fruto de uma pesquisa-ação colaborativa desenvolvida em uma instituição de ensino superior a qual buscou ressignificar a prática pedagógica de disciplinas do currículo universitário de professores de língua inglesa de forma a contemplar as demandas postas pelas sociedades contemporâneas. Para tanto, utilizou-se das contribuições de teorias pós-modernas, com ênfase para preceitos do pós-estruturalismo, articulando-as com estudos mais específicos sobre linguagem, texto e significação ao considerar também as discussões dos multiletramentos. Após uma breve fase de observação, a pesquisa aos poucos elegeu determinados aspectos deste aporte teórico no caso, o entendimento de letramento crítico como postura filosófica pautado numa crítica problematizadora o que culminou no nascimento da ideia de atitude curricular nas brechas do curso de formação de professores de línguas, sinalizando, com isso, a necessidade de mudança ou agência diante da prática curricular. Sob essa orientação, foram planejados diversos ciclos de ação ao longo da pesquisa, os quais tentaram ressignificar aquela ação pedagógica de maneira que o ensino da língua inglesa contemplasse um propósito educacional crítico. A introdução deste trabalho apresenta as justificativas da investigação, os objetivos, as escolhas metodológicas, o contexto investigado e breves observações sobre a fundamentação teórica. A tese organiza-se em três capítulos. No primeiro, analiso algumas concepções e práticas preliminares do contexto de pesquisa sob a ótica de questões atuais, voltadas para alguns pressupostos da pós-modernidade e os novos papeis do inglês nos atuais processos globais. No segundo capítulo, delimito o lócus de enunciação ao tratar das diversas linhas de pesquisa que perpassam os letramentos, priorizando notadamente a noção de letramento crítico e culminando na ideia de atitude curricular, conceito-chave desta proposta. Por fim, o terceiro capítulo apresenta a práxis dessa atitude nas brechas do currículo universitário, momento em que também compartilho alguns acertos e desacertos. / This collaborative action-research developed at a Higher Education institution aimed at ressignifying the pedagogical practices within the English teacher education programs so that they would better respond to the social demands in contemporary societies. In order to do so, post-modern theories were taken as an important framework with emphasis on post-structuralist concepts, which were then related to more specific studies on language, text and meaning as brought by multiliteracies studies. After a brief observation period, I soon opted for certain elements of the theoretical framework that is to say the notion of critical literacy as philosophical orientation based on critique which culminated in the core idea of curricular attitude in those gaps encountered in language teacher education programs. The term curricular attitude has been coined in this work in order to signal the necessary teacher agency towards curriculum practices. Under such notion, several action cycles were planned aimed at ressignifying pedagogical actions in a way that the teaching of English language would also comprise critical educational purposes. The introduction of this work presents its justification, objectives, methodological issues, the investigated context as well as brief remarks on its theoretical framework. The thesis is organized into three chapters. The first chapter analyses preliminary concepts and practices in the light of important contemporary questions, such as post-modern assumptions and the new roles of English in globalizing processes. The second chapter elicits the different approaches to understanding literacies, emphasizing critical literacy and its relation to the proposed core concept of curricular attitude. The last chapter then presents the praxis of such curricular attitude in the gaps we encounter in the investigated language teacher curriculum, besides critically reflecting on the successes and failures throughout the process.

Esta pesquisa, realizada no período 2012-2016, investigou as possíveis razões para o crescente desinteresse pela profissão docente, especificamente no que se refere ao ensino de língua inglesa (LI) na educação básica brasileira, sobretudo aquela pública; e o fez a partir do posicionamento de licenciandos em LI de uma universidade pública acerca do que para eles significava ser professor. O estudo se valeu de contribuições de teorias pósmodernas, baseando-se, principalmente, em conceitos pós-estruturalistas e decoloniais relacionados às concepções de língua, discurso, epistemologia e identidade, no intuito de melhor compreender as influências modernas sobre a construção histórica da docência e da identidade docente. Identificar os princípios que fundamentam o ensino de LI e a formação docente nessa área; investigar os discursos que perpassam a construção da identidade docente e em que se fundamentam; e compreender em que medida tais princípios e discursos impactam o (des)interesse pela profissão eram alguns dos principais objetivos propostos. Permeados pela análise dos dados gerados, os capítulos que compõem esta pesquisa se organizam da seguinte forma: a introdução localiza este estudo no cenário educacional brasileiro, apresenta seus objetivos gerais e específicos, o seu contexto de realização, as perguntas de pesquisa, a metodologia utilizada e o perfil dos participantes e da pesquisadora; o Capítulo 01 apresenta um panorama histórico da educação brasileira desde a implantação do sistema educacional jesuíta, em 1549, até a promulgação da LDB de 1996, procurando focar no ensino e na formação de professores de LI; o Capítulo 02 trata do papel do discurso na construção da realidade e na invenção da tradição, da ideia de desenvolvimento e civilização que permearam a colonização de terras e povos e resultaram na invenção da História ocidental; o Capítulo 03 dedica-se à invenção das línguas inclusive a LI e o inglês como língua internacional (ILI) e à construção histórica da identidade com base nas ideias de fixidez, permanência e normalidade, negando seu caráter fluido e nômade; as considerações finais apresentam acontecimentos políticos atuais e discorrem sobre as implicações do caráter circular da História sobre a construção da identidade docente e do estatuto negativo da profissão, além de reafirmar a necessidade de uma formação docente pautada no letramento crítico, como forma de promover mudança. / This research developed between the year 2012 and the year 2016 investigated the increasing lack of interest in the teaching profession, including English language teaching (ELT), in Brazilian (public) basic education. This study was developed mainly on the basis of post-modern theories, related mainly to post-structuralist and decolonial concepts concerning language, discourse, epistemology and identity, used in order to better understand the influences of Modernity on the historical construction of the teacher identity and the teaching profession status. Some of the main objectives of this research were to identify the principles that ground ELT and EL teacher education in Brazil; examine the discourses that influence the construction of teacher identity and the basis of such discourses; and understanding to what extent such principles and discourses affect the (dis)interest in the teaching profession. The introduction situates this study in the Brazilian educational setting, and it presents the general and specific objectives that guided the development of this research, as well as the research questions, methodology and participants. Chapter 01 presents a historical overview of Brazilian education, starting from the Jesuit educational system implemented in 1549 and ending after the promulgation of the Brazilian National Law on Education (LDB) in 1996. Chapter 02 focuses on the role of discourse in the construction of reality, in the invention of tradition, and in the creation of the ideas of development and progress, which explained the need for civilization. This justified the colonization of lands and peoples and served as the basis for the invention of Western History. Chapter 03 refers to the invention of languages including English language, and English as an international language (EIL) and to the historical construction of identity based on the ideas of fixity and normality, denying its fluid and nomadic nature. The concluding chapter elicits current political events, addresses the implications of the circular nature of History on the construction of teacher identity and the negative status of the teaching profession, and also reiterates the need for a critical literacy-guided English language teacher education as a way of promoting changes.

Outdoor education is considered to be a recent teaching approach and method in a general educational framework, which is related to learning through authentic places and different direct experiences. However, the learning process within the educational system in Cyprus is mainly based on traditional models of teaching. Despite that fact, a modified society established the necessity for a new educational curriculum, which was implemented in 2010. Thus, the current research is focused on a curriculum-related study on outdoor learning and teaching, based on experiential learning in primary schools in Cyprus. Specifically, the focal point is on teachers’ perceptions regarding the status of experiential learning within the Greek language curriculum and the possibilities of implementing outdoor language activities, in order to enhance students’ learning. Through a qualitative approach, this research included analysis of the data extracted from ten semi-structured synchronous online interviews with primary teachers. The data were analysed thematically and summarized in five themes related to the connections between outdoor learning, experiential learning and language teaching. In particular, the relevant findings demonstrated that experiential learning is mainly presented on a theoretical base through the language curriculum and that outdoor language activities, although they can enhance the implementation of more efficient lessons, are limited. The results reveal primary teachers’ basic knowledge on the field of outdoor education, as they additionally noted some important barriers of outdoor learning, such as time limitations, lack of support and the traditional way of thinking. Thus, they pointed out the necessity of applying significant changes that will support the new Greek language curriculum and its basic principles. Additionally, the teachers acknowledged several benefits of outdoor language teaching mainly related to the students’ personal and social development. The above findings contribute to the current limited scientific knowledge, concerning the practice of outdoor education in primary level in Cyprus. To conclude, the results of the specific study are focused on the perceptions of the ten participants, so they cannot be generalized. Therefore, further research on the related field would be important for a wider investigation of outdoor language learning within the Cypriot educational system.

English Language Learners (ELLs) are a growing population within the U.S. school system. In the secondary grades, this diverse group requires instruction to improve not only English language proficiency but also utilization of the academic language register, especially in writing tasks. The present study focused on ELLs in middle school. The aim was to explore the effects of enhanced Self–Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) writing instruction on the use of complex language, particularly elaborated noun phrases (ENPs) when SRSD was combined with linguistic instruction on increased sentence complexity. As a part of a larger study exploring critical literacy and the persuasive writing instruction of Spanish–English speaking students, this repeated measures design detailed the effects of two six–week instructional periods aimed at teaching 19 ELLs methods for organizing, planning, and constructing persuasive texts (the macr–-structure level), as well as ways of incorporating academic language forms and functions in their writing (the micro–structure level). Within the critical literacy project that involved topics and themes related to immigration, the 19 students produced three texts in English (pre–, mid–, and post–instruction essays). These texts were analyzed for ENP frequency and complexity. Three case studies were also chosen to highlight the variation in ENP outcomes and to discuss additional aspects of persuasive writing at both the macr–- and micro–structure levels. Statistical analysis of group use of ENPs revealed no significant increase in frequency or complexity across essays as simple pre–noun modifications were produced in amounts greater than all other ENP type across all essays. The three case studies revealed that frequency of ENP use generally corresponded to strength of abilities at either the macro–structure level, such as inclusion of more persuasive elements, or the micro–structure level as indicated by increased text length and variety of vocabulary. One implication of these outcomes indicates the need for more in–depth emphasis on the coordination of both the macro– and micro–structure levels in writing instruction studies with ELLs. Other implications pertain to further analysis of classification approaches for designating ENP complexity, and how enhanced understanding of ENP production signals aspects of the academic language register.

William Stetson Kennedy (1916-2011), an activist and muckraking journalist, focused on social and economic conditions in the South. In seven decades of activism, he fought for peace, workers’ rights, civil rights, and environmental protections. Kennedy collected oral histories as a folklorist with the Federal Writer’s Project, and he infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan and worked to get their state charters revoked. This project breaks new ground by bringing to light a neglected aspect of Stetson Kennedy’s work: his years (1943-1947) as the editorial director for the Political Action Committee of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO-PAC). In this role, Kennedy fought against voting restrictions and informed workers about candidates and voting issues. This dissertation explores several research questions: How are alphabetic, civic, and critical literacies activated and enhanced through labor rhetoric? In what ways are these three literacies connected? What are the implications of interconnected literate praxis in academic spaces and beyond? The writer employs archival research, primary field research, and critical theory. Using critical theory enables the writer to stake new claims about key concepts: the subject, agency, ideology, discourse, rhetoric, and literacy. This project enriches existing scholarship in rhetoric and composition through focusing on literacy programs in labor movements. Although labor unions have long provided instruction in reading, writing, history, and political economy, little work outside of history and sociology has been done on worker education. Literacy building outside the classroom has received some attention in rhetoric and composition, but the role that unions play in this process has been neglected. In addition, this rhetorical biography provides an historical account of a writer who helped educate workers largely through the use of dialect, folklore, and other forms of vernacular/working-class discourse. Vernacular discourse must be recovered in order to rectify the privileging of academic/elite discourse and to end the longstanding silence about socioeconomic class in US society. Furthermore, this project connects rhetorical theory to rhetorical practice, what Paulo Freire called praxis. Ultimately, this project provides a new view of literacy by theorizing how three different literacies interact, as well as the implications of these interactions in classrooms and communities.

This thesis presents a study of the production of literacy practices in Year 10 English lessons in a culturally diverse secondary school in a low socio-economic area. The study explored the everyday interactional work of the teacher and students in accomplishing the literacy knowledge and practices that count for subject English. This study provides knowledge about the learning opportunities and literacy knowledge made available through the interactional work in English lessons. An understanding of the dynamics of the interactional work and what that produces opens up teaching practice to change and potentially to improve student learning outcomes. This study drew on audio-recorded data of classroom interactions between the teacher and students in four mainstream Year 10 English lessons with a culturally diverse class in a disadvantaged school, and three audio-recorded interviews with the teacher. This study employed two perspectives: ethnomethodological resources and Bernsteinian theory. The analyses of the interactional work using both perspectives showed how students might be positioned to access the literacy learning on offer. In addition, using both perspectives provided a way to associate the literacy knowledge and practices produced at the classroom level to the knowledge that counted for subject English. The analyses of the lesson data revealed the institutional and moral work necessary for the assembly of knowledge about literacy practices and for constructing student-teacher relations and identities. Documenting the ongoing interactional work of teacher and students showed what was accomplished through the talk-in-interaction and how the literacy knowledge and practices were constructed and constituted. The detailed descriptions of the ongoing interactional work showed how the literacy knowledge was modified appropriate for student learning needs, advantageously positioning the students for potential acquisition. The study produced three major findings. First, the literacy practices and knowledge produced in the classroom lessons were derived from the social and functional view of language and text in the English syllabus in use at that time. Students were not given the opportunity to use their learning beyond what was required for the forthcoming assessment task. The focus seemed to be on access to school literacies, providing students with opportunities to learn the literacy practices necessary for assessment or future schooling. Second, the teacher’s version of literacy knowledge was dominant. The teacher’s monologues and elaborations produced the literacy knowledge and practices that counted and the teacher monitored what counted as relevant knowledge and resources for the lessons. The teacher determined which texts were critiqued, thus taking a critical perspective could be seen as a topic rather than an everyday practice. Third, the teacher’s pedagogical competence was displayed through her knowledge about English, her responsibility and her inclusive teaching practice. The teacher’s interactional work encouraged positive student-teacher relations. The teacher spoke about students positively and constructed them as capable. Rather than marking student ethnic or cultural background, the teacher responded to students’ learning needs in an ongoing way, making the learning explicit and providing access to school literacies. This study’s significance lies in its detailed descriptions of teacher and student work in lessons and what that work produced. It documented which resources were considered relevant to produce literacy knowledge. Further, this study showed how two theoretical approaches can be used to provide richer descriptions of the teacher and student work, and literacy knowledge and practices that counted in English lessons and for subject English.

This thesis develops a critical realist explanatory critique of alternative schooling programs for youth at risk taking place at three case study sites. Throughout the thesis the author pursues the question, \Are alternative provisions of schooling working academically and socially for youth at risk?. The academic lens targets literacy learning and associated pedagogies. Social outcomes are posited as positive social behaviours and continued engagement in learning. A four phased analysis, drawing on critical realism, interpretive and subject specific theories is used to elicit explanations for the research question. An overall framework is a critical realist methodology as set out by Danermark, Ekstrom, Jakobsen and Karlsson (2002, p. 129). Consequently phase one describes the phenomena of alternative schooling programs taking place at three case study sites. This is reported first as staff narratives that are resolved into imaginable historical causal components of \generative events., \prior schooling structures., \models of alternative schooling., \purpose., \individual agency., and \relations with linked community organisations.. Then transcendental questions are posed about each component using retroduction to uncover structures, underlying mechanisms and powers, and individual agency. In the second phase the researcher uses modified grounded theory methodology to theoretically redescribe causal categories related to a \needed different teaching and administrative approach. that emerged from the previous critique. A transcendental question is then applied to this redescription. The research phenomena are again theoretically redescribed in the third phase, this time using three theoretically based constructs associated with literacy and literacy pedagogies; the NRS, the 4 Resources Model, and Productive Pedagogies. This redescription is again questioned in terms of its core or \necessary. components. The fourth phase makes an explanatory critique by comparing and critiquing all previous explanations, recontextualising them in a wider macro reality of alternative schooling. Through this critical realist explanatory critiquing process, a response emerges not only to whether alternative provisions of schooling are working, but also how they are working, and how they are not working, with realistically based implications for future improvement.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The presence and relevance of images in discursive genres of contemporary communication has led to concerns about the formation of visually literate readers. Among the multimodal genres, we foreground the textbook for English learning (LDI), which is typically rich in terms of images. However, the activities suggested in such materials rarely point to the visual language exploration (GRAY, 2010). Thus, in this study, the reading sessions of the Top Notch English textbook series are analyzed, together with the methodological instructions of the Teacher‟s guide, aiming to verify to what extent the reading of the images of the discursive genres is explored and the nature of this reading. A context of genre consumption analysis was carried out in the Brazilian Military School System (SCMB). Within the theoretical framework of Critical Genre Analysis (MOTTA-ROTH, 2008) and using the Grammar of Visual Design (KRESS, van LEEUWEN, 2006) as lexical-grammatical reference, all the ten reading sessions of intermediate level Top Notch textbook were analyzed. These reading sessions are composed of semiotic complexes assembled with verbal written language and images. The analysis showed that 32.8% of the reading activities are offered to be approached multimodally through LDI and Teacher‟s guide instructions and also that 67% of the images of the reading sessions are activated for visual reading, what points to the role of the image as a meaning carrier, not as an illustration. There was a predominance of representational meanings (71%) explored in the multimodal reading activities, majorly placed in the pre reading stage, as a way to prepare for the verbal reading. However, the reading activities of corpus do not promote multimodal critical literacy, once they do not stimulate on the student readers the development of critical consciousness, one which unveils the power relations that occur via the genre and also the relationship between the text and the context where it takes place. In the multiliteracies perspective, we hope to contribute for the development of a broader reading towards the comprehension of represented meanings, not only in written verbal language, but also in the images of multimodal texts. / A presença e relevância de imagens em gêneros discursivos da comunicação contemporânea têm gerado uma preocupação crescente com a formação de leitores visualmente letrados. Dentre os gêneros multimodais destaca-se o livro didático para o ensino da língua inglesa (LDI), tipicamente rico em imagens. Entretanto, as atividades propostas nesses materiais raramente remetem à exploração da linguagem visual (GRAY, 2010). Em vista disso, neste trabalho são analisadas as seções de leitura da série de livros didáticos Top Notch, conjuntamente com as instruções metodológicas do Manual do professor com o objetivo de verificar em que medida a leitura de imagens dos gêneros discursivos apresentados é explorada e qual a natureza dessa leitura. Foi realizada uma análise do contexto de consumo do LDI o Sistema Colégio Militar do Brasil (SCMB). Dentro do enquadramento teórico da Análise Crítica de Gênero (MOTTA-ROTH, 2008) e tendo como base analítica léxico-gramatical a Gramática do Design Visual (KRESS, van LEEUWEN, 2006), foram analisadas todas as dez seções de leitura que constituem o Top Notch intermediário, as quais formam complexos semióticos, compostos de linguagem verbal escrita e de imagens. A análise revelou que 32,8% das atividades de leitura são oferecidas para serem abordadas multimodalmente por meio de instruções no LDI e no Manual do professor e que 67% das imagens das seções de leitura são acionadas para a leitura visual, o que aponta para o papel da imagem como portadora de significado e não como ilustração. Houve uma predominância dos significados representacionais (71%) explorados nas atividades de leitura multimodal, majoritariamente na etapa de pré-leitura, como forma de preparação para a leitura verbal. Entretanto, as atividades de leitura do corpus não promovem o letramento crítico multimodal por não estimularem nos alunos leitores o desenvolvimento de uma consciência crítica, que desvele as relações de poder que ocorrem por meio do gênero e a relação entre o texto e o contexto no qual ocorre. Na perspectiva dos multiletramentos, espera-se contribuir para o desenvolvimento da leitura mais ampla no sentido da compreensão dos significados representados não só na linguagem verbal escrita, mas também nas imagens em textos multimodais.