O Ensino de inglês no Brasil: perspectiva de língua franca em livros didáticos do Ensino Médio aprovados pelo PNLD 2021

Abstract

English language teaching in Brazil has historically been shaped by approaches that prioritize the language as a heritage of native-speaking countries, mainly the United States and the United Kingdom, reinforcing linguistic standards. Traditionally treated as a foreign language (FL), English has been taught based on normative models that are distant from the sociolinguistic reality of most Brazilian learners. In recent decades, however, advances in Applied Linguistics studies have broadened discussions about the social, political, and cultural role of the English language, especially with the emergence of the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) perspective, which proposes a more inclusive and pluricentric approach to teaching. In this context, this research investigated how the ELF perspective is addressed in the English textbooks approved by the 2021 PNLD (National Textbook Program), aimed at Brazilian High School. The choice of topic is justified by the growing relevance of ELF in debates on English language teaching and the need to understand how this concept, still scarcely detailed in the BNCC (Brazilian National Common Curricular Base), materializes in the teaching materials used in public schools.The general objective of the investigation was to analyze how, and to what extent, the activities in these textbooks incorporate the ELF perspective. This is a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study, theoretically grounded in the works of authors such as Pennycook (1998), Crystal (2003), Davies (2003), Graddol (2006), Jenkins (2009), Rajagopalan (2009), Jordão (2014), Oliveira (2014), Vieira-Abraão (2015), Leffa (2016),Lopes and Baumgartner (2019), Siqueira and Alvez (2020), among others. For theanalysis, four textbooks were selected based on accessibility, language level (A1/A2),PNLD approval, and declared alignment with the BNCC. The analysis was conducted using two sets of criteria developed from the literature on ELF and FL teaching, divided into five thematic blocks. Each textbook unit was analyzed according to the defined criteria, allowing the identification of patterns, gaps, and trends regarding how English is taught. The analysis included both general aspects of the materials and specific elements indicating alignment with either the ELF or FL perspective. By applying the established criteria, the study sought to identify whether the materials included uses of English detached from a single native culture, whether they presented multiple linguistic and cultural variations, and whether they promoted a more inclusive and contextualized approach to the language, as proposed by the ELF perspective. The results indicate that, despite methodological advances, such as moving away from a purely grammatical approach and adopting contextualized themes relevant to students' realities, the textbooks still promote FL teaching centered on native English models. There was a lack of pedagogical practices that effectively foster linguistic and cultural diversity or encourage critical reflection on the role of English in global contexts. The research concludes that, although the BNCC and the textbooks adopt ELF discourse, the lack of clear guidelines contributes to the continued predominance of FL teaching. The study highlights the need for a revision of educational policies, teacher education, and the production of teaching materials more aligned with a democratic, plural, and socially engaged language education. In this sense, ELF represents a possible path to transforming English language teaching into a more inclusive practice, conscious of the power relations that permeate the uses of English