The Learning Weave: Estratégias de Aprendizagem de Língua Inglesa no Curso de Letras-Língua Inglesa no CESTB

Abstract

The central theme of this article, The Learning Weave, understood as a metaphor of learning as a living fabric, grounds the investigation into the English language learning strategies employed by undergraduate students of the English Language and Literature program at the Centro de Estudos Superiores de Tabatinga (CESTB/UEA), located in an Amazonian border context. The main objective was to understand how these students develop autonomous and creative practices for acquiring a foreign language, considering the sociocultural specificities of the region. The research, conducted within a qualitative and ethnographic-inspired approach, was grounded in critical Applied Linguistics and employed classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and discourse analysis as data collection instruments. The results revealed the use of metacognitive, cognitive, social, and affective strategies, evident in study planning, self-assessment, collaborative learning, and the use of media resources such as music, podcasts, films, and series. It was observed that students value formal classes but also acknowledge the relevance of autonomous practices, forming a hybrid learning process. Furthermore, 86% of participants reported “thinking differently” when communicating in English, suggesting cognitive and cultural reconfiguration, while 83% emphasized the importance of cultural aspects in the learning process, reinforcing the inseparability between language and culture. It is concluded that English learning at CESTB constitutes a plural, creative, and challenging process, woven through the articulation between institutional teaching and autonomous experiences. The term The Learning Weave proved appropriate to describe this construction, as learning emerges as a living fabric of strategies, experiences, and meanings.