Melitta spent a month at a Brazilian university putting in to context theory and content she had learn whilst at Goldsmiths.
From May to June 2024, I spent 1 month as a visiting student at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) in Salvador, Brazil.
Through the module Decolonizing English Language Teaching taught by Dr. Alessia Cogo, I had to learn about research and practices in the decolonisation of ELT. The “ELT in Brazil” field led by Dr. Savio Siqueira at UFBA encourages epistemic disobedience and de- linking in relation to Western-centered views, so my time at UFBA stimulated critical thinking and academic engagement on the relevant topics and was greatly complementary to my studies on the MA MLE programme at Goldsmiths.
At UFBA, I had the invaluable opportunity to observe English lessons for the local community and UFBA students and staff taught by pre-service teachers; collect data for my own dissertation on translanguaging in ELT classes; engage in academic exchange through research meetings with students and professors.
My experience of Salvador and Brazil was greatly enriched by a 3-day hike through the valleys of Chapa Diamantina, coupled with a reading of Crooked Plough (set in the hinterlands of Bahia, written by Brazilian Itamar Vieira Junior and translated by Johnny Lorenz), visits to above-ground, underground, and underwater sights of Salvador and endless conversations about the social, political, environmental and educational challenges of the region and country with my peers-turned-lifelong friends from UFBA.
This Go Abroad opportunity has introduced Brazilian Portuguese to my linguistic repertoire and enriched my intercultural communication skills, refreshing my motivation to complete my dissertation and get back in to teaching.