Anytime! - Always Ready For Education

Summary

In this discussion, Carmem Maciel and Mariana Bartolo introduce the educational book 'Anytime, Where Forever' published by Saraiva, a part of the 2024 PNLD program. They highlight the book's successful adaptation for middle school students, emphasizing relevant themes and gradual language learning. Key features include diagnostic units, reviews, and contextualized activities. The book integrates real-life language use, collaborative projects, and interdisciplinary approaches with other subjects. Mariana underscores the importance of teaching English as a global lingua franca and encouraging practical, culturally inclusive language use.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script discusses the educational book 'Anytimes, Where Forever', published by Saraiva and approved for the 2024 PNLD (National Plan for School Development).
• 👩‍🏫 The book is authored by a team including Amadeu Marques, Ana Carolina Cardoso, Luana Araújo, and Mariana Bartolo, with the latter being a guest in the conversation.
• 🔍 Mariana Bartolo is a specialist in Applied Linguistics, with a background in Portuguese and English from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and she teaches English at the Municipal Secretariat of Education in Rio de Janeiro.
• 🔄 The book has been adapted for the 2024 PNLD to suit the final years of elementary education, with changes to content and structure to better fit the age group.
• 📈 The book retains its main sessions but adds new features such as diagnostic units, reviews after every two main units, and a summative assessment at the end.
• 🏫 A new feature in the sixth year is the 'Classroom Language' unit, which introduces students to expressions used in the classroom to facilitate communication.
• 🌐 The book emphasizes the use of authentic texts and a variety of genres to expose students to real-world English usage.
• 📈 The learning progression is gradual, starting with instructions in Portuguese for the sixth and seventh years, and increasing in complexity as the students advance.
• 🤝 The book promotes collaborative work, with different sessions building upon each other to prepare students for subsequent activities.
• 🌐 The themes covered in the book are current and relevant to students' lives, such as personal hygiene, environmental care, and combating violence.
• 🌟 The book's approach to teaching English is to develop it as a global lingua franca, not just to imitate native speakers but to enable communication among diverse cultures.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the discussion in the script?

The main topic of the discussion is the new edition of the educational work 'Anytimes, Where Forever', which is part of the PNLD 2024 program for English language teaching in Brazil.

Who are the authors of 'Anytimes, Where Forever'?

The authors of 'Anytimes, Where Forever' are Professor Amadeu Marques, Ana Carolina Cardoso, Luana Araújo, and Mariana Bartolo.

What is Mariana Bartolo's academic background and current profession?

Mariana Bartolo is a Master in Applied Linguistics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, a licensed teacher in Portuguese and English, and currently teaches English at the Municipal Secretariat of Education in Rio de Janeiro.

What changes were made to the 'Anytimes, Where Forever' for the PNLD 2024 edition?

For the PNLD 2024 edition, the content was adapted to be more suitable for the age group of the final years of elementary school. The main structure was maintained, but new themes and diagnostic units were added, along with reviews every two main units and a summative assessment at the end.

What is the purpose of the diagnostic units added to the new edition?

The diagnostic units were added at the beginning to assess the students' progress and at the end of the sixth year to evaluate their prior knowledge, helping to understand their learning process and to start a new year accordingly.

What is the 'Classroom Language' unit and why was it introduced in the sixth year?

The 'Classroom Language' unit is a special feature introduced in the sixth year that introduces students to expressions used in the classroom, such as 'Open your books' and 'I bought school materials', to facilitate classroom communication and familiarize them with these terms from the start.

How does the new edition of 'Anytimes, Where Forever' approach the teaching of everyday language?

The new edition uses authentic texts that circulate in society and are not produced for didactic purposes. It also emphasizes the diversity of genres and contextualized activities, allowing students to construct knowledge about grammar and vocabulary in an inductive and contextualized manner.

What is the significance of the collaborative work approach in the new edition?

The collaborative work approach is significant as it ensures that one session helps build upon another, preparing students for subsequent sessions. This integrated approach promotes a more comprehensive understanding and application of the language.

How does the new edition address current and relevant themes in students' lives?

The new edition includes themes such as personal hygiene, environmental care, and combating violence, which are related to students' life projects. These themes are discussed in English, providing students with agency and the opportunity to express themselves on important issues.

Why is it important for the English language work to address current themes?

Addressing current themes is important because it not only helps students learn English but also aims to form responsible citizens. Discussing these themes in English expands their agency as citizens and provides them with more content to explore and express themselves.

How does the new edition promote interdisciplinary work with other subjects?

The new edition promotes interdisciplinary work by suggesting projects that involve collaboration with other subjects such as geography, arts, and mathematics. For example, a project on upcycling involves calculating materials and percentages, which requires the involvement of math teachers.

What is the role of the teacher's manual in the new edition?

The teacher's manual goes beyond guiding the use of the work; it is detailed and provides session-by-session instructions, offering a wealth of suggestions for additional activities and ways to connect the English subject with other curricular components.

What is the significance of the 'English as a Lingua Franca' approach in the new edition?

The 'English as a Lingua Franca' approach emphasizes that English is a common language used by people from different parts of the world to communicate. This approach encourages students to speak English without the pressure of mimicking native speakers and to embrace their cultural identities in their language use.