O papel dos podcasts na aprendizagem do inglês como língua adicional: experiência de alunos cegos e de baixa visão em um curso de extensão

Abstract

The emergence of the Internet and the availability of applicatives, devices and technological programs have contributed immensely to the formation (cultural, social, economic, political, linguistic and technological), emancipation and autonomy of the visually impaired people. Based on this context, this research paper, inserted in Applied Linguistics area, aims to investigate the role of podcasts in English language learning by blind and visually impaired students, who were participants of the "Basic English for the Visually Impaired" course. During the period from February to June 2015 we applied a questionnaire, conducted interviews and observed classes in order to verify if and how the visually impaired students learn the English language from the use of podcasts. This research is grounded on the concepts of literacy and digital literacy; multiliteracies and the use of podcasts in the foreign languages teaching-learning process. Besides that, the concepts of Vygotskian’s social interactionism and social representations were also considered to support this investigation. The results demonstrates the fact that when the blind and visually impaired students use podcasts to study, they have their target language learning process significantly affected, since as passive recipients they become active agents in the design, redesign and appropriation of meaning, signification and knowledge. To summarize, it is possible to conclude that podcasts are very important resources in English language learning for visually impaired people, as it allows them to learn the language in an active, dynamic, interactive, inclusive and critical way.