What is behind the appropriation of writing in english: narratives about institutional and non-institutional elements

Abstract

The present text is a discussion about students perceptions about their processes of appropriation of writing in English in the teaching program Letras- Línguas Adicionais at Unipampa- Campus Bagé. The mentioned perceptions are discussed taking into consideration the narrative perspective and a reflection about the presence of institutional and non-institutional elements in this process. In order to do that, it was chosen two students of the program by means of an online questionnaire applied to students from different semesters. The participants underwent a narrative interview, which focused on their perceptions about their processes of appropriation; which methodologies and practices they believe were important in such processes; and how they see the relationship between acquisition of language and their identification- or not- as writers. The analysis of such narratives mapped the main elements cited by the students as significant in their processes of appropriation of writing in English. When doing the mapping of such elements it was perceived they could be divided in institutional elements and non-institutional elements, also taking into account that one can complement and influence the other. It was found that institutional questions as classes, professors methodology and academic reading, can be crucial elements in such process. At the same time, non-institutional elements as personal interests, identification as a writer in Portuguese, and reading and writing habits out of university also can be essential in this process. In this way, we can see that the process of appropriation of writing in English is a complex one and it can involve many aspects, including aspects we usually do not think as part of such appropriation once they are not part of the curriculum.