The language constructing/ constituting/ consolidating the teaching work: what can a teacher’s representations of her acting reveal?

Abstract

Taking the teaching work as an object of interest in Applied Linguistics, we analyze  the  representations  of  a  teacher  about  her  teaching  practice.  From the confrontation between the work plan and its implementation, we aim to understand the awareness that emerges from her practice. The parameters of observation used are the didactic sequence described in the work plan prepared by  the  teacher  and  the  experience  report  directed  to  her  self-assessment, whose points focus on the choice of the class theme, the teaching tools and current conflicts in the didactic transposition process. The object of analysis comprises the experience report written by the teacher regarding the study of the genre “opinion article” in 9th grade class of elementary school. We rely on the concept of teaching activity defended by Clot (2007), Amigues (2004) and  Bronckart  (2009),  and,  in  the  analysis  of  configuration  of  action,  we consider the action figures (BULEA; FRISTALON, 2004), which allowed us to identify reasons and goals for action, adequacy of resources, and conflicts faced. Despite the difficulties revealed by the teacher, we infer autonomy in her acting when defining the content according to the need of the class and thinking of alternatives to make the work dynamic, which reflects the theoretical and methodological knowledge acquired. Also, the non-implementation of planned activities shows that the actual work is configured as an enigmatic practice.