Teaching Learning English to the Elderly

7/30/2019 Teaching Learning English to the Elderly

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Teaching-learning English to theElderly: welcoming subjectivities

Carla Nunes Vieira TAVARES UFU-MGBethnia Martins MARIANO UFU-MG


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Theoretical Assumptions

Factors from the order of subjectivity are atplay when someone meets/confronts anotherlanguage;

The mother tongue is responsible for theconstruction of a discursivity in which andwhereby the subject constitutes himself;

The foreign language can represent an objectof knowledge whereby the discursive base ofa subject can be destabilized;


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The encounter-confrontation with a foreignlanguage can set up a possibility for thesubject of occupying another discursiveposition to narrate oneself;

Consequences to the identity constitution ofthe ones involved in teaching and learning;


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Identity is understood as a fragmented andflexible discursive construct, thatresults froma multiple building, which is given bymoments of identification, such as somethingin constant motion (Coracini, 2007);

The notion of subject of language and the

notion of discourse, which include adimension beyond what is said.


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Course

It was instigated by PIPE 5 The teaching ofEnglish to the elderly;

Favorable group to the studies of thespecificities of foreign language teaching;

The different ways of approaching the studyobject affects in the process of identification

with it; It has 11 students aged between 55 and 82

years;


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Course

Classes happen in an NOG around UFU,twice a week, with the duration of 1h20;

Significantthemes for Elderly; Allows the subjects possible moments of

identification with the language;

No specific didatic material.


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Research

Objectives: contribute to the studies aboutforeign language teaching-learning and itsconsequences in the identity constitution ofElderly learners;

Qualitative interpretive methodology.


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Research

The process of saying oneself implies in theattempt of the subject in establishing hisuniqueness and the places he occupies:

Teacher, how can I say I am an elder in

English?


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Discursive Clippings

My relation to English, the language Imlearning is great because I've always wantedto learn English. When I saw that I had thispossibility I said its my turn. Im learning alot. I familiarize myself very well with thewords and its like this, I want to learn more.A long time ago it was very difficult, and thismethod is very easy.


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The importance of motivation and willingnessto be involved in learning a language;

"The elderly represent a segment of societystill ignored by educational institutions in thecountry." (PIZZOLATTO, 1995, p.155)


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Not only the method of teaching is importantto think about foreign languages teaching-learning, but also the subjectivity involved inthis process;


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I had English several years in school, Frenchtoo, but I could never grasp, it is ... well,internalize, it is ... to relate to anything,anything. I learned nothing, especiallyEnglish.


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The importance of a meaningful content ofthe course to the learners;

Students perform very well in activities that

they have to stand (linguistically) before theclass;

It is in the exact moment when the subjectinserts himself in discourse, search words

(which are always his and other's) to definehimself, that he singles out. (CORACINI,2007, p.24).


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I dont fell myself, like, a person, like, so old.Because what I do, what Im doing, I think itmust be an example. Theres that word, Tobe or not to be, then we have to be, and Iwant to be, so Im here to learn.


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Unlike many other elders, who could be doinganything else during classes time, thisstudent chose to be there and try, and breakwith the discourse that the elderly can notlearn. She is, she wants to be more, and sheis willing to pay the price that "being" can costto her.


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Final Considerations

From these discursive clippings, we affirmthat the (in)voluntary choice on the part ofthese students to be involved in this learningprocess causes impacts in their identityconstitution.


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References

CORACINI, M. J. R. F. Sujeito, identidade e arquivo entre a impossibilidade e a necessidade de dizer(-se). In:A Celebrao do Outro: Arquivo, Memriae Identidade: lnguas (materna e estrangeira),

plurilinguismo e traduo. Campinas, SP: Mercadode Letras, 2007.ELIA, L. O conceito de sujeito. 2. ed. Rio de

J aneiro: J orge Zahar Ed., 2007.PIZZOLATTO, C. E. Caractersticas da construo

do processo de ensino e aprendizagem de lnguaestrangeira (ingls) com adultos da terceira idade.Campinas, SP., 1995.

Documents

Teaching Learning English to the Elderly