Políticas linguísticas e ensino de línguas minoritárias e majoritárias no brasil: o caso do pomerano e do inglês como línguas estrangeiras

Abstract

The study reflects on language policies and the teaching of majority and minority languages in Brazil. With that aim, the study investigates the beliefs of two foreign-language teachers working in public schools in a Pomeranian community in the State of Espirito Santo. The languages chosen for analysis were English as an international and majority language and Pomeranian as a minority and immigration language. After reviewing the language policies for teaching foreign languages in Brazil, the study offers an analysis of the beliefs of foreign language teachers collected through questionnaires with two teachers, one who teaches English and another who teaches Pomeranian, in a community of Pomeranian immigrants in the state of ES. The results of the analysis suggest that both teachers believe that there is not enough time to develop all language skills properly, and that teaching materials and school curricula should be reviewed. On the other hand, the Pomeranian teacher believes that the teaching of Pomeranian is capable of improving the self-esteem of students in relation to their sense of belonging to a historical context, and local and family community. In the case of the English teacher, she believes that her students still do not realize the importance of English for their academic and professional lives. The study concludes that language policies should be reviewed so as to guarantee the teaching of minority and majority languages, stimulating multilingualism in Brazil.