This week's Veja brings the cover headline Solte Seu Inglês - Dá para aprender inglês depois de adulto, melhorar no trabalho e passar menos apertos.
The article is... ok. That's it. A not very rich word.
First of all, just once does the article mention the word culture and it is used to define the British Council. The author fails to show that language and culture are inseparable. And she had a very good example in the article when she told the story of Brazilian ballet dancer Thiago Soares who took the initiative to talk to the Queen... by saying Hi.
The article intends to enlighten the reader, to show the difficulties adults may have when studying English as a foreign language; it also shows, through examples, the profits of studying English. A very positive aspect of the article is that it does not focus on the difficulties much. It gives more attention to the successful outcomes of people who study the language.
However, the journalist fails to mention significant aspects in the process of learning English, such as the definition of basic, intermediate and advanced English and the acquisition of international certificates.
Even though the article mentions the number of hours necessary for the learner to achieve intermediate and advanced levels of English, it is unsuccessful to determine the international criteria to define each level. In fact, it is unsuccessful to define the levels themselves. Simply mentioning intermediate and advanced levels is too superficial. Moreover, there is no mention to the skills and levels of production expected in each learning stage. By the way, there is no mention to skills whatsoever.
The second significant aspect neglected by the author is the existence and importance of international certificates, which may be decisive to an adult learner when he/she is looking for a job or seeking a promotion. The article says that 46% of Brazilian professionals exaggerate when evaluating their own abilities in English. These professionals may lie in their CV's as well, using the infamous and deceivable (does it exist?) inglês intermediário.
Having a recognized international certificate from a respectable institution not only will mark the student's learning progress but it will also confirm his/her level of English according to international standards.
The section Fim da Fila is as depressing as it is informative. It shows the performance of Brazilian students and professionals in international evaluations of their knowledge in the English language. We do have to improve our English teaching system.
The last negative aspect of the article is the test provided at the end of the text. It says Cheque aqui sua competência. Competence in what? The test has only 22 questions that test some reading comprehension, collocations, grammar, vocabulary...
The worse part is the evaluation at the end:
From 17 to 22 correct answers: advanced level. Besides being able to comprehend a variety (there are only 2!) of long (41 and 51 words each text!) and complex texts, you are able to understand implicit meanings in the texts (what if the person got 20 correct answers and missed the two with the texts?!); you probably make fluent and effective use fo the language in social, academic and professional areas.
Oh, please!
Even with the probably, it is irresponsible to make such an evaluation based on a 22-quesiton written test.
A very relevant piece of information for the article would be a serious and careful guide of minimum requirements for schools of English and exchange programs to be considered of high quality and effective. This would be helpful.
Well, the article is just good.
ME
The article is... ok. That's it. A not very rich word.
First of all, just once does the article mention the word culture and it is used to define the British Council. The author fails to show that language and culture are inseparable. And she had a very good example in the article when she told the story of Brazilian ballet dancer Thiago Soares who took the initiative to talk to the Queen... by saying Hi.
The article intends to enlighten the reader, to show the difficulties adults may have when studying English as a foreign language; it also shows, through examples, the profits of studying English. A very positive aspect of the article is that it does not focus on the difficulties much. It gives more attention to the successful outcomes of people who study the language.
However, the journalist fails to mention significant aspects in the process of learning English, such as the definition of basic, intermediate and advanced English and the acquisition of international certificates.
Even though the article mentions the number of hours necessary for the learner to achieve intermediate and advanced levels of English, it is unsuccessful to determine the international criteria to define each level. In fact, it is unsuccessful to define the levels themselves. Simply mentioning intermediate and advanced levels is too superficial. Moreover, there is no mention to the skills and levels of production expected in each learning stage. By the way, there is no mention to skills whatsoever.
The second significant aspect neglected by the author is the existence and importance of international certificates, which may be decisive to an adult learner when he/she is looking for a job or seeking a promotion. The article says that 46% of Brazilian professionals exaggerate when evaluating their own abilities in English. These professionals may lie in their CV's as well, using the infamous and deceivable (does it exist?) inglês intermediário.
Having a recognized international certificate from a respectable institution not only will mark the student's learning progress but it will also confirm his/her level of English according to international standards.
The section Fim da Fila is as depressing as it is informative. It shows the performance of Brazilian students and professionals in international evaluations of their knowledge in the English language. We do have to improve our English teaching system.
The last negative aspect of the article is the test provided at the end of the text. It says Cheque aqui sua competência. Competence in what? The test has only 22 questions that test some reading comprehension, collocations, grammar, vocabulary...
The worse part is the evaluation at the end:
From 17 to 22 correct answers: advanced level. Besides being able to comprehend a variety (there are only 2!) of long (41 and 51 words each text!) and complex texts, you are able to understand implicit meanings in the texts (what if the person got 20 correct answers and missed the two with the texts?!); you probably make fluent and effective use fo the language in social, academic and professional areas.
Oh, please!
Even with the probably, it is irresponsible to make such an evaluation based on a 22-quesiton written test.
A very relevant piece of information for the article would be a serious and careful guide of minimum requirements for schools of English and exchange programs to be considered of high quality and effective. This would be helpful.
Well, the article is just good.
ME
A capa da revista Veja dessa semana trás o
título Solte Seu Inglês - Dá para aprender inglês depois de adulto, melhorar
no trabalho e passar menos apertos.
O artigo é só bom. Um adjetivo bem
pobrezinho.
Primeiramente, em apenas uma oportunidade o
artigo menciona a palavra cultura e é para definir o que é o
Conselho Britânico. A autora falha em mostrar que língua e cultura são
inseparáveis. No artigo há um bom exemplo quando a autora menciona o bailarino
brasileiro Thiago Soares que teve a iniciativa de cumprimentar a Rainha... com um Oi.
O artigo tem a intenção de orientar o
leitor, de mostrar as dificuldades que um adulto pode ter ao iniciar seus
estudos de ingles; o artigo também mostra, por meio de exemplos, os benefícios
de se aprender a língua. Um aspecto muito positivo to texto é o fato de o foco
estar nos benefícios e não nas dificuldades em se estudar inglês.
Entretanto, a jornalista não menciona
aspectos significantes no processo de se aprender inglês, como a definição dos
níveis básico, intermediário e avançado, e a obtenção de certificados
internacionais.
Apesar de o artigo mencionar o número de
horas necessárias de estudo para se atingir os níveis intermediário e avançado
de inglês, o texto não tem sucesso em determinar quais são os critérios
internacionais que definem cada nível. Na verdade, o artigo não tem sucesso em
definir os níveis propriamente ditos. Simplesmente mencionar níveis
intermediário e avançado é muito superficial. Além disso, não há menção às
habilidades e níveis de produção esperados para cada estágio de aprendizagem. E
por falar em habilidade, a palavra não é mencionada em momento algum.
O Segundo aspecto negligenciado pela autora
é a existência e importância de certificados internacionias, que podem ser
decisivos para um aluno adulto que procura um emprego ou promoção. O artigo diz
ue 46% dos profissionais exageram quanto avaliam seu nível de habilidade em inglês. Esses profissionais podem muito bem mentir em seus currículos com o
famigerado e enganador inglês intermediário.
Ter um certificado internacional oferecido
por uma instituição de respeito vai marcar o progresso de estudo do aluno bem
como confirmar seu nível de inglês de acordo com padrões internacionais.
A sessão Fim da Fila é deprimente e informativa. Ela mostra a
performance de alunos e profissionais brasileiros em avaliações internacionais
de inglês. Temos de melhorar nosso sistema de ensino de inglês com urgência.
O último aspecto negativo do artigo é o
teste de nível ao final do texto. O teste diz Cheque aqui sua competência.
Competência para quê? O teste trás apenas 22 perguntas que testam compreensão
escrita, collocations, gramática e
vocabulário.
A parte pior é a avaliação ao final:
De 17 a 22 respostas corretas: nível
avançado. Além de conseguir compreender
uma varidade de textos (são apenas 2!) longos (41 e 51 palavras cada!) e
complexos, é capaz de entender significados implícitos nos textos (e se a
pessoa acertou 20 questões e errou exatamente as duas dos textos?!).
Provavelmente faz uso fluente e eficaz da língua nos campos social, acadêmico e
professional.
Hein?! Mesmo com o provavelmente, é irresponsável fazer uma avaliação nesse nível com um teste de apenas 22 questão e escrito.
Por favor!
Acho que uma informação muito importante no artigo seria um guia sério e criterioso descrevendo os requisitos mínimos para que
escolas de inglês e programas de estudos no exterior fossem considerados de
qualidade e eficazes. Isso seria muito útil.
Bom, o artigo é só… bom.
ME
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