Competência simbólica no ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa

Abstract

This research has come up from the interest in aligning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom practice to the current global landscape, which pushes the need for communication in multicultural settings in which, besides information exchange, symbolic values and positioning are negotiated. Thus, I have adopted an ecological perspective of foreign languages acquisition and privileged the fostering of symbolic competence (SC). If according to Kramsch (2006) SC is about how students are to position themselves and their ability to produce and exchange symbolic goods in today’s complex, globalized world, then fostering SC through language teaching presents itself a coherent alternative as far as students can benefit from the contextual meanings of language. SC can only be developed if, besides structures and their meanings, students have the opportunity to understand the power game intrinsic to communication (which is rooted in the relation between immediate interaction and layered cultural context), to reframe such a game in order to accomplish positive results, and yet to save face. I have based myself in some linguistic-discursive notions to propose four principles which can work as entries to foster SC: i- reframing, or the ability to step out of certain frames, i.e., experientially-based situation models, in order to see things differently; ii- indexing, that is, the ability to make meaning in indirect ways; iii- desynchronizing, or the ability to deal with the various historical layers of discourse; and iv- aestheticizing, or the ability to position oneself in discourse in order to exert influence on the interlocutor’s perception. Acknowledging that sense of humor and these very principles share some elements has encouraged me to use humorous texts as a basis to devise classroom activities. That said, this paper’s research problem is: how is it possible to foster SC through pedagogical activities devised from humorous texts? Thus, I have for objective to investigate how SC can be fostered through pedagogical activities devised out of applying the four abovementioned principles to the observation of some humorous texts. I have adopted action research methodology for this participative, applied investigation and also a qualitative approach for data analysis. Besides other benefits, the results suggest that learners understood various notions which were approached, constructed subject positionings as negotiated symbolic values, and made some progress in relation to interpretation. The context of intervention was that of a Federal Institute in Brazil. For a theoretical basis, I have made use of available literature on SC (KRAMSCH, 2006, 2009a, 2009b, 2011), humor (ATTARDO, 2001; RASKIN, 1979; POSSENTI, 2010), frames (FILLMORE, 1982; LAKOFF, 2010), indexicality (OCHS, 1996; JOHNSTONE, 2008), layered simultaneity and synchronization (BLOMMAERT, 2005), divergent and convergent conditions (WIDDOWSON, 1992) as well as some aspects of literary discourse (MAINGUENEAU, 2016).