Chapter 11
Beyond written texts
History as told by the objects of modern foreign language
classes in a Brazilian school
This chapter analyses the objects and artifacts
used in foreign language classes in a secondary school in Campo
Grande, a Brazilian city, from 1931 to 1961, and compares these with
official sources such as government policy documents and texts on
new methodological approaches in an attempt to examine whether and
how intended innovations helped to shape teachers’ daily practices.
A document found in the archives of this school points to the
purchase of record collections, record players and postcards,
showing that there were attempts to follow official reforms.
However, closer examination shows that the presence of these objects
in the school did not bring about the expected changes. Material
Culture, as represented by such artefacts, can be seen to open up a
new perspective to be considered within Applied Linguistic
Historiography.
Article outline
- Introduction
- Modern language teaching and learning in Brazil: From the regencies to the first republic
- Colégio Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora, Campo Grande, and the objects
for language classes
- Conclusion
-
Acknowledgements
-
Notes
-
References