DESENVOLVIMENTO PROFISSIONAL DE PROFESSORES DE INGLÊS DAS ESCOLAS PÚBLICAS: UM ESTUDO AVALIATIVO DO PDPI SOB A PERSPECTIVA DE SEUS EGRESSOS

Abstract

In this article, we analyze the Professional Development Program for English Language Teachers in the United States (PDPI), from the perspective of its graduates. The PDPI is a program developed by Capes in partnership with the United States Embassy and the Fulbright Commission, for the provision of intensive courses at American universities for English language teachers in Brazilian public schools. To identify the results and the possible repercussions of the program on the performance and the professional development of the participating teachers, a questionnaire was sent to the graduates of the courses taken in the USA, one year after their return to Brazil. Teachers' responses to the questionnaire were analyzed considering the objectives listed in the program selection notice. For this, an indicator was created for each of the five objectives: valuing teachers, mastering skills, sharing methodologies, cultural experience in loco, and established partnerships. The results showed that the objectives of the program were partially achieved with regard to the valorization of teachers, the ability to contextualize the cultural experience in the USA in language teaching, the establishment of partnerships, and the sharing and socialization of knowledge after the return to Brazil. On the other hand, the program has shown to have contributed significantly to the increase in the mastery of language skills and to the improvement of teaching and assessment practices in the classroom, according to the participating teachers.