PREPARING NEW TEACHERS OF ENGLISH IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to reflect about curriculum design. It is a theoretical essay based on Perrenoud’s(1999) and Freeman’s (1989) concept of competencies as well as on the four pillars of competency-based teaching as discussed in the World Conference for All in Thailand in 1990. To this end, an exploratory study of the national scenario of the past three decades has been conducted into the area of English language teacher evaluation and education and supported by bibliographical and documental research. The information obtained has been organized into analytical categories such as: competencies, recruitment, communication, training, development, and evaluation. It is suggested that teacher preparation in tertiary education institutions needs to have its curriculum reviewed, in order to prepare quality teachers who in turn, will be able to prepare future professionals for the 21st. Century market. As for University professors, instead of thinking of themselves as specialists in their area of subject matter, they should look inside out and talk more to their colleagues about how their specialties could integrate and contribute towards the learners’ better preparation for the profession. This paper argues that the curriculum in tertiary teacher education institutions should be competencies based rather than content based to enable them to prepare the workforce for the future