O papel da pesquisa em aquisição de segunda língua na formação do professor de língua estrangeira: apreciações sobre alguns encontros e desencontros

Abstract

In this paper I address the following fundamental question concerning second language learning research: under what set of assumptions it will lead to the most useful answers to the questions FL teachers pose themselves in their practice? As far as fundamental assumptions about acquisition go it is possible to draw a line in such a way that on one side we will have approaches that can be subsumed under the ‘cognitive’ tag, and on the other side we will have approaches that concentrate on social interaction as a key concept. The point to be made is that those approaches that take interaction as the main construct of research are directly relevant for FLT as an area of everday life reflection and of theorizing. For such purpose I will first consider a typically cognitive study of a high empirical standard, a sociocultural study also of high standards, and finally compare them as possible guides or resources for the teacher’s practice and as a fundamental research area for teacher education.

Key words – second language learning, teacher education, classroom interaction, critical period.