ORIGINAL ARTICLE
BATISTELLA, Marta Aparecida Abraão [1]
BATISTELLA, Marta Aparecida Abraão. The emergence and importance of the Spanish language. Revista Científica Multidisciplinar Núcleo do Conhecimento. Year 04, Ed. 03, Vol. 06, pp. 106-113. March 2019. ISSN: 2448-0959, Access link: https://www.nucleodoconhecimento.com.br/education/spanish-language
ABSTRACT
Spanish is a language in full force, we know that it is a language spoken by more than 420 million people, it is the second most dialogued language in the Western world, it is official in more than 21 countries. This paper is a qualitative research, with the aim of studying and reflecting on how the teaching of Spanish is in the Brazilian educational context, and to show how much access to information about the emergence and importance of Spanish in the globalized sphere in order to sensitize our students and awaken them so that their interests with regard to the Spanish language , are not only to take the entrance exam or the National High School Exam (ENEM), but they see the dimension and social, cultural and political opportunities, including in the scope of work that this dialect will offer inside and outside the country, because Brazil is part of the member countries of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUL), the learning of a foreign language makes the student prepare to be a proactive citizen in this society , which is of paramount importance to the country.
Keywords: Curricular Components, Student, Spanish Language, MERCOSUL, Teacher.
1. INTRODUCTION
We observed that students in Brazil do not show much interest in the Spanish language, in elementary and high school, only when they take the entrance exam or ENEM end up opting for the Spanish language for greater understanding of the language in the texts. This lack of interest may be in not having information on the preciousness of the Spanish language in a globalized world.
This study, through research and observations made of current policies, seeks to show us the emergence of the Spanish language and its importance, allowing reflections on what enables the little relevance we observe in Brazilian society with regard to the Spanish language.
With globalization and especially the union of some countries that have political and social interests, such as the member countries of the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUL), formed by the members: Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Venezuela, it is necessary a greater interest in the Spanish language in Brazil, not only by students, but by society and rulers of our country.
Globalization is one of the main factors that should make the Spanish language as the second language in public and private schools, note what Abreu (2008, p.5) says:
Globalization and the historical origins of the Brazilian educational process are relevant aspects to be interpreted to situate the function and objective of the Spanish language, as a second language, in public or private schools. It is evident that the scenario has changed, in relation to the studies of this language that, in previous decades, were almost extinct in the educational environment. Furthermore, according to data from the Triennial Education Plan, the official text of MERCOSUL, education was given great relevance as a factor of regional integration, as it could contribute significantly to the overcoming of regional disparities, to the consolidation of democracy and to economic and social development.
By observing the above information we can identify the importance of this research.
2. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION
This article has as theoretical foundations the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDBEN), Law no. 9,394, of December 20, 1996 and the National Curriculum Parameters (PCNs), 2006.
3. METHODOLOGY
The methodology used in the research is qualitative, developed in two stages: in the first one it was established to explore the literature that deals with the theme of the research, in the second stage we analyze the literature and the observed data and submit them to reflections to write the article with scientific rigor.
Qualitative research is usually directed throughout its development, besides, it does not seek to enumerate or measure events and, generally, does not deliver statistical instruments for data analysis; its focus of interest is broad and part of a different perspective from that adopted by quantitative methods. It is part of obtaining descriptive data through direct and interactive contact of the researcher as the situation under study (NEVES, 1996, p.1).
4. EMERGENCE OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE
To understand the importance that the Spanish language has in the curricular component of a school, we have to observe its origin, Spanish is called Castilian, originating in the Medieval Kingdom of Castilho, then Spanish extended, during the reaver of Christian territory on Muslims on the peninsula, which ended in 1932, according to Werner (2009 p. 23). The Spanish language is:
(…) la lengua oficial de 22 países. En Europa: España; En América: Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Perú, Venezuela, Colombia, México, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Puerto rico, república Dominicana, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panamá, Costa rica, Cuba; En Asia: filipinas; En África: Guinea Ecuatorial, ciudades de Celta y Melilla (España). El español también se ha expandido como la segunda lengua comercial del planeta, después del inglés. Es hablado por más de 450 millones de personas en el mundo. Es la segunda más hablada en los Estados Unidos de América. Consecuentemente, el interés por aprenderla y enseñarla viene aumentando. En Brasil, por ejemplo, han contribuido para eso la firma de Tratados como el MERCOSUR y la aprobación de leyes por parte del gobierno que establecen la obligatoriedad del idioma en la escuela básica. La cercanía con los países hispanoamericanos también ha provocado interés y expansión de la lengua en nuestro país. Tal desarrollo es visible y tú debes estar acompañando.
Spanish has currently expanded on five continents, all MERCOSUL countries, with the exception of Brazil, have the official Spanish language, so we can understand its importance as a curricular component in Brazilian schools.
5. THE SPANISH AND THE LAW OF GUIDELINES AND BASES (LDB) AND THE PCNS
President Fernando Henrique Cardoso sanctioned in 1996 the Law of Guidelines and Bases (LDB), being a document that guide Brazilian education. The National Curriculum Parameters (PCNs) were described in 2004, to perform what is prescribed in the LDB, the implementation occurred due to the anguish of reflecting on public secondary education, we observed in the PCNs (BRASIL, 2006, p. 8):
[…] to point out and develop indicators that could offer didactic-pedagogical alternatives for the organization of pedagogical work, in order to meet the needs and expectations of schools and teachers in structuring the curriculum for high school.
The PCNs are based on the LDB, they are general guidelines including all subjects of the school curriculum, the PCNs show important aspects of the teaching of the Spanish language, that is, of a foreign language, and the classes have become more interesting, far beyond a simple grammar class foreign language classes are precious, as they cover important cultural and linguistic basic concepts, O PCNs (BRASIL, 2006 p.91) highlight:
[…] The Foreign Languages course at school aims to teach a foreign language and, at the same time, fulfill other commitments to students, such as contributing to the training of individuals as part of their educational concerns.
The Ministry of Education (MEC) demonstrated the possibility of implementing languages in the initial series, with the LDB in 1996 were repealed all decrees and laws of foreign language teaching, of mandatory character, selected by the community, Spanish began to stand out in the educational system in Brazil. Abreu Apud Durão (1998, p.5) shows us that:
The associations of Spanish Teachers in the country, previously dormant, begin to develop their works based on the support of DATOS Y CIFRAS (1998), serving satisfactorily the expansion of spanish language teaching. As a second language, in high school programs, expanding at a higher level as a bachelor’s degree, and for its entry into many selection processes for universities and colleges. His work consists in disseminating the Spanish language correctly, promoting courses, university exchanges, including with Spanish universities. Spanish teachers, already registered in the association, become part of a movement for learning and transmitting specific knowledge.
In the States of Rio de Janeiro, Pará, Rio Grande do Sul and Brasília, from 1989 on, the laws “forced” the support of Spanish in high schools, already in elementary school since 1996. We recognize that LDB stresses that the foreign language is a right of all citizens, please note:
Será incluida una lengua extranjera moderna, como disciplina obligatoria, elegida por la comunidad escolar, y una segunda, en carácter optativo, dentro de las posibilidades de la institución (LDB, art 36, III, 1996)
It is therefore essential that students be sensitised to understand the importance of the Spanish language in society and thus show greater interest in the school environment.
6. HOW TO AROUSE MORE INTEREST OF STUDENTS FOR THE DISCIPLINE OF SPANISH IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL
We believe that when a society and its rulers understand the emergence and importance that the Spanish language has in a globalized world, students begin to have more access to information about the preciousness that is this dialect, and observe that it is part of their daily life, it is in food labels, clothing, music, that is, it is our culture, so learning becomes more pleasurable because it is contextualized , there is a certain sense in understanding Spanish, that is, a change in the consciousness of students. Second (FREEMAN, 1989, p. 29-30) “Change does not necessarily mean doing something differently, it can mean a change in consciousness. Change can be an affirmation of current practice.”
The pressure of globalisation leads the countries themselves to develop a policy of spreading the Spanish language.
In MERCOSUL countries and in the world, Spanish stands out for its social, commercial, political and cultural relations. The adjacency between Portuguese and Spanish motivates students to first relations with the Language of Spanish. Says Junger (2005);
The points of contact (lexicon and morphosintactic structures) between Spanish and Portuguese also favor a more immediate approach to the foreign language by our students, allowing from an early age access to texts taken from documents of daily use of Hispanic speakers, with a certain degree of complexity. This can often generate an extra motivation for learners, who can “do things” with the language learned still in early stages of learning (JUNGER, 2005, p. 44).
We have identified that Spanish means inclusion and can prepare these students for a very competitive labor market and make them proactive citizens in this society, contributing to a more effective learning teaching process.
The teacher has a unique role in this process, to directly sensitize his students about the importance of Spanish, for Kramsch (apud Barcelos 2000, p.26) this relationship between teachers and students in the classroom environment will always occur:
There will always be a struggle between the teacher whose charge is to make the students understand and eventually adopt foreign verbal behaviors and mindsets, and the learners who will continue to use transmitted knowledge for their own purpose, who will insist on making their own meanings and finding their own relevancies. This struggle is the educational process per se.
Thus, we will have the great possibility that most Brazilian students acquire awareness and demonstrate effectively in the school environment, their dedication and respect by developing the activities proposed by teachers in the classroom, of this precious and contextualized discipline that is Spanish.
7. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
After observing and reflecting on a large amount of information on the theme highlighted in this research, we understand that we need a greater commitment from all members of the educational process, so that access to knowledge about the emergence and importance of the Spanish language awakens in students more interest in learning this language, not only to take the entrance exam or the National High School Exam (ENEM) , but that is useful throughout elementary, high school, higher education and in their daily lives. For these transformations to occur requires time, investments, cultural changes and, mainly, breaking paradigms that will bring wide changes in the teaching and learning of the Spanish language in Brazil.
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[1] Postgraduate in Inclusive Education and Neuropsychopedagogy from FAVENI, Second Degree in Pedagogy from FAEL, Graduated in Letters – Portuguese and Spanish from UFMT, Professor of elementary school in the discipline of Portuguese.
Submitted: October, 2018.
Approved: March, 2019.
