Online literary circles

an adaptation in English as an additional language

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29051/el.v11i00.20039

Keywords:

Online literature circles, English as an Additional Language, Pedagogical Practices, Literature in EAL

Abstract

Literature is recognized as a profound expression of language and culture, yet it is often avoided in English as an Additional Language (EAL) courses in Brazil, either due to its perceived difficulty or to teachers’ lack of experience in teaching it. This paper presents and discusses an online pedagogical practice conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic with a literature group called “Conversas Literárias,” a teaching project implemented at a federal high school. Participants of various ages and proficiency levels read a short story in English, and to ensure comprehension, the session included scaffolding strategies to support language learning. Participants felt encouraged throughout the activity and were able to understand and discuss the plot and other literary elements of the story. Given the positive feedback, this practice can be adapted and replicated by other teachers working with mixed-level groups—a common scenario in most high schools.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Elisa Seerig, Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul

Professor at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS). Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics (UNISINOS/UNIPD).

Amália Cardona Leites, Federal Institute of Santa Catarina

Professor at the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina. PhD in Literature (UFSM).

Cátia de Azevedo Fronza, University of the Sinos River Valley

Professor at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos. PhD in Literature (PUCRS). 

References

BAJOUR, C. Ouvir nas entrelinhas: o valor da escuta nas práticas de leitura. São Paulo: Pulo do Gato, 2012.

BERTONHA, G. Letramento literário crítico: uma proposta para o ensino transgressivo de literatura na aula de língua inglesa no ensino médio. 2021. Dissertação (Mestrado em Linguística Aplicada) – Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, 2021.

BLAND, J. Introduction: The challenge of literature. In: BLAND, J. (org.). using literature in english language education: challenging reading for 8-18-year-olds. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2018.

CANDIDO, A. O direito à Literatura. In: VÁRIOS escritos. Rio de Janeiro: Ouro sobre azul, 2011. p. 171-193.

CARDOSO, H. Sá. Literatura de língua inglesa como viés de consolidação da BNCC para o ensino de inglês no Ensino Médio de escola pública. 2019. Dissertação (Mestrado em Letras) – Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Vitória da Conquista, 2019.

CARVER, R. Popular mechanics. In: WHAT we talk about when we talk about love. New York: Random, 1989.

CONTRERAS, A.; DELACROIX, J. Reading together: a guide for families and educators. [S. l.]: The Southern Poverty Law Center, 2019. Disponível em: https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/reading-together. Acesse em: 22 dez. 2025.

COSSON, R. Letramento literário: uma localização necessária. Letras & Letras, Uberlândia, p. 173-187, 2015.

COSSON, R.; SOUZA, R. J. Letramento literário: uma proposta para sala de aula. Revista da UNIVESP, p. 101-107, 2011.

GRABE, W.; STOLLER, F. L. Teaching and researching: reading. 2. ed. New York: Routledge, 2011.

HALL, G. Using literature in ELT. In: THE ROUTLEDGE Handbook of English Language Teaching. London: Taylor and Francis, 2016. Disponível em: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303588261. Acesse em: 22 dez. 2025.

HANAUER, D. I. Meaningful literacy: writing poetry in the language classroom. Language Teaching, [s. l.], v. 45, n. 1, p. 105-115, 2012.

KOZULIN, A. Psychological tools. London: Harvard University Press, 1998.

LANTOLF, J. P.; THORNE, S. L. Sociocultural theory and second language learning. Language And Education, v. 22, p. 178-181, 2008.

LAZAR, G. Literature and language teaching. [S. l.: s. n.], 1993.

MARTÍN DE LEÓN, C.; GARCÍA HERMOSO, C. Exploring literary texts to develop students’ creative writing skills: proposed activities for Spanish as a foreign language. Literature in Language Learning: New Approaches, [s. l.], p. 41-49, 2020.

PARAN, A.; ROBINSON, P. Literature: into the classroom. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016. Disponível em: https://books.google.com.br/books?id=_tenCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT7&hl=pt-BR&source=gbs_selected_pages#v=twopage&q&f=false. Acesse em: 27 dez. 2023.

PARAN, A.; SERCU, L. (org.). Testing the untestable in Language Education. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2010.

PARAN, A.; WALLACE, C. Teaching literacy. In: THE ROUTLEDGE Handbook of English Language Teaching. London: Taylor and Francis, 2016. Disponível em: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1475810/1/Paran_Wallace%202016%20Teaching%20LIteracy.pdf. Acesse em: 18 jun. 2023.

POEHNER, M. E.; LANTOLF, J. P. Sociocultural theory and the dialectic of praxis: an alternative to the theory/research-practice gap. In: SOCIOCULTURAL theory and the pedagogical imperative in L2 Education. New York: Routledge, 2014.

ROSENBLATT, L. M. Viewpoints: transaction versus interaction: a terminological rescue operation. [S. l.: s. n.], 1985.

ROUXEL, A. Práticas de leitura: quais rumos para favorecer a expressão do sujeito leitor? Cadernos de Pesquisa, [s. l.], v. 42, n. 145, p. 272-283, 2012.

SEERIG, E. Technological resources in the language classroom: managing time, levels and students’ autonomy. LínguaTec, Bento Gonçalves, v. 3, n. 1, p. 87-96, 2018.

SEERIG, E.; NICOLAIDES, C. S. “We can’t become robots who reproduce texts”: brazilian students’ narratives about the presence of literature in english language classes. Revista Brasileira de Linguística Aplicada, Belo Horizonte, ano 22, n. 1, 2 mar. 2022. p. 181-210. Disponível em: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1984-63982022000100181&tlng=en. Acesse em: 4 maio 2022.

SWAIN, M.; KINNEAR, P.; STEINMAN, L. Sociocultural theory in second language education: an introduction through narratives. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2015.

SWAIN, M.; LAPKIN, S. A Vygotskian sociocultural perspective on immersion education. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, [s. l.], v. 1, p. 101-129, 2013.

TROIAN, A. D.; SEERIG, E. Criação de espaço e tempo para a literatura: círculos de leitura. LínguaTec, Bento Gonçalves, v. 5, n. 1, p. 343-353, 2020.

URBANSKI, K. B. Second language literacy pedagogy. Bristol: Multilingual Matters, 2023.

VYGOTSKY, L. Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.

YUNES, E. Leituras compartilhadas, leitores multiplicados. Percursos Linguísticos, [s. l.], v. 4, n. 8, p. 130-141, 2014.

Published

27/12/2025

How to Cite

SEERIG, E.; LEITES, A. C.; FRONZA, C. de A. Online literary circles: an adaptation in English as an additional language. Revista EntreLinguas, Araraquara, v. 11, n. 00, p. e025018, 2025. DOI: 10.29051/el.v11i00.20039. Disponível em: https://periodicos.fclar.unesp.br/entrelinguas/article/view/20039. Acesso em: 23 jan. 2026.

Issue

Section

Relatos de Experiência